Loves' Past and Present
by ElaineDex
Summary: Find out how Sheppard and Lyssa's wedding plans cause chaos on Atlantis and what happens when tragedy strikes for Ellie and Lorne? Are they destined to be together or will a Love from Lorne's past threaten their future?
1. Chapter 1

Date : 10.08.2007

Title : Loves' Past and Present

Author : ElaineDex

Chapter : 1 of ?

Rating : M

Pairings : Lt. Col. John Sheppard/Lyssa Hunter

Major Evan Lorne/Dr Ellie Harrison

Warnings : Sexual content, maybe some strong language.

Spoilers : This story is part of a series and follows on from Love's Dance With A Stranger.

Feedback : Yes

Disclaimer : Dr Ellie Harrison, Major James Reece, Lt Franks & Heather Russell are mine. Lyssa Hunter belongs to Kazavid. Stargate & Stargate Atlantis, unfortunately, have nothing to do with me.

**Summary : Find out how Sheppard and Lyssa's wedding plans cause chaos on Atlantis and what happens when tragedy strikes for Ellie and Lorne?**

* * *

"But you can't go to that planet without me Evan, you know how much I wanted to check out those caves with the ancient inscriptions on the walls and the soil….I wanted to get soil samples", Dr Ellie Harrison moaned as she glared at Major Lorne from across his desk.

"It's not my fault you can't go off-world", he replied, then cleared his throat as she placed her hands on her hips and narrowed her eyes at him and he realised what he'd said.

"So I got myself pregnant did I?", she accused and he tried to smile at her but she was having none of it.

"If you put the team forward for this mission now I'll…….I'll never forgive you…..", Ellie said, folding her arms and Lorne stood and sighed deeply.

"Don't you think you're being a little irrational about this?", he asked and Ellie gasped.

"Irrational? Oh that's nice…..I suppose that's because I'm pregnant too is it?" and she turned on her heels and headed for the door.

She flung it open and Lorne called after her,

"Don't slam………", but he trailed off, wincing as the door nearly fell off it's hinges as it banged, bone jarringly shut, behind her.

Lorne raked a hand through his short hair and blew out a breath of air. Since Beckett had grounded her a couple of weeks ago due to her pregnancy, Ellie had been a nightmare. He knew it was probably hard for her as she enjoyed being on his team, but she was driving him crazy.

Suddenly his door opened and he said,

"Look, I'm not going to discuss it any further…..", but he trailed off when he saw that it was Lt. Col. John Sheppard stood in his doorway instead of Ellie whom he thought had returned for Round Two.

"Ellie giving you grief again?", Sheppard asked casually and Lorne nodded absently as he shuffled some paperwork around on his desk.

"Kinda", he replied and Sheppard nodded sympathetically.

"Hormones", he stated as though the one word explained everything and Lorne nodded.

"I guess. It's just…..she gets excited about weird writing and mud…..mud for Christ's sake".

"McKay's the same……I don't understand it either", Sheppard said and Lorne sighed again.

"What can I do for you anyway Sir?", he asked and Sheppard moved into the room a bit more.

"Some new personnel just arrived on the Daedalus, can you process them for me only me and mine are about to leave?", Sheppard asked and Lorne moved out from behind his desk.

"Sure. Anyone interesting this time?", he asked and Sheppard grinned.

"Well….there was this one woman asking after you", he said and Lorne frowned.

"Really? Who is she?", he asked but Sheppard shook his head.

"Don't know. She was tall and slim with really dark hair……way darker than Ellie's…..", he trailed off as Lorne's eyes widened.

"It can't be Heather. What the hell is she doing here?", he said sounding angry and Sheppard looked at him inquiringly.

"Heather is my ex-fiancée", Lorne informed him, then added "I found her in bed with my best friend, hence the 'ex' part".

"Ooh…….nasty", Sheppard said as they left Lorne's office.

"Yeah", Lorne agreed.

"They're in the briefing room", Sheppard informed him as they went their separate ways and Lorne nodded and waved as Sheppard headed down the stairs toward the gate room.

Lorne's 'ex' watched as he entered the room and her breath caught at how handsome he looked. She watched as he moved to their personnel files which were on a desk and he began to flick though them.

Eventually he looked up and said,

"Welcome to Atlantis everyone. I'm Major Lorne and I'll be processing your arrival today. I'll get to you all as quickly as I can so if you'll all please be patient……", he trailed off and then called out the name of the person on the file which was at the top of the pile in front of him.

Eventually, after putting her file underneath some of the others twice already, Lorne called out his exes name almost reluctantly.

"Heather Russell".

Heather stepped forward and sat at the desk opposite him.

"It's good to see you Evan", she said silkily but Lorne avoided her gaze, skimming through her file.

"What are you doing here?", he asked, his voice low and Heather smiled.

She loved it when Lorne acted all sulky.

"I believe my file tells you why I'm here", she said and he finally looked at her.

She hadn't changed at all since he'd last seen her, she was still immaculately made up, her clothes, make up and hair all pristine despite her three week journey on the Daedalus.

He looked back at her file and said,

"You're here as a Liaisons' Officer to our off-world teams", he read and glanced back at her.

"That's right and I'm really looking forward to seeing how you handle your team", Heather replied.

Lorne pointedly ignored her comment and shut her file.

"Sign this and then you're free to go to your assigned room", he said shoving a form under her nose.

"Is my room anywhere near yours?", Heather asked coyly, sliding the piece of paper back toward him once she'd signed it.

"No", he replied bluntly.

"Pity", Heather said standing and Lorne shook his head as she disappeared from the room.

**OOoOO**

Sheppard turned to Ronon as they waited for McKay to finish repairing the jumper's systems which had mysteriously had a malfunction just as they were about to head back to Atlantis.

"So……I've been meaning to ask you….", he began and Ronon looked at him, one eyebrow raised as he waited for Sheppard to elaborate.

"This wedding of mine…..would you um……would you like to be my best man?", Sheppard managed and Ronon grinned.

"Sure", he replied. When he had married Ellie, she had explained to him the whole best-man concept and he'd chosen Sheppard so he should now return the favour.

"Good……good", Sheppard replied, obviously relieved until McKay's voice whined from the back of the jumper,

"Oh that's nice isn't it? How many years have I known you and you go and ask 'him' to be your best-man. I'm offended Colonel, I really am".

Sheppard rolled his eyes at Ronon who smothered a smile as they turned in their seats to look at Rodney.

"Look Rodney, it's nothing personal….really", Sheppard said but McKay huffed as he turned back to the jumper's wiring.

"Oh really? That's funny because it feels 'personal'".

"I could step down if you……", Ronon began but Sheppard gave him a look that said 'if you dare finish that sentence I will kill you with my bare hands', so Ronon closed his mouth and slouched in his seat.

"Maybe Lyssa has something you could do", Sheppard pondered for a moment.

"Maybe you could give her away", he said and Rodney's face brightened.

"You think she'd let me?", he asked and Sheppard shrugged.

"We can ask".

As the jumper powered up and Sheppard flew them home, Ronon and Teyla exchanged a look that said there would be trouble ahead when Lyssa heard about this.

**OOoOO**

Lorne entered the mess hall and got himself a coffee and some sandwiches before he joined Sheppard, Lyssa, Ronon, Teyla, Rodney and Franks around one of the larger tables.

He had spotted Heather as he'd arrived but he avoided her gaze as she watched him from a few tables away.

As he sat down Lyssa was glaring at Sheppard.

"Rodney can't give me away John I told you, I already asked Sean to do it".

"Oh", Sheppard replied looking at Rodney apologetically.

"That's ok, never mind", Rodney said sounding all hurt and rejected and Lyssa's glare intensified as she stared Sheppard down.

Just then Ellie arrived and stood by Lorne's side.

"Hey", she greeted everyone and they all waved absently in response.

"What's going on?", she asked, placing a hand on the back of Lorne's chair as he replied,

"Wedding plans".

"Ah", Ellie said, thinking Lyssa looked a little stressed.

"Sit down", Lorne said patting his leg and Ellie was just about to when Heather appeared at his other side.

"Evan…..aren't you going to introduce me to your friends?", she asked and Sheppard nearly choked on his coffee as he realised how awkward this was going to be for Lorne.

Ellie looked at the immaculately dressed woman as Lorne rattled off everyone's names including her own and she suddenly felt somewhat under-dressed in comparison. The woman's pin-striped suit fitted her like a glove, she wore high heels and her dark hair shone like a glossy, ebony silk curtain around her shoulders.

Her make up was perfect and she was very, very beautiful.

Ellie absently smoothed a hand through her unruly curls as she heard Lorne say,

"Everyone, this is Heather Russell, our new off-world Liaisons Officer".

"I'm also the Major's ex-fiancée", Heather interjected, smiling at everyone who said nothing, merely looked from Heather to Ellie as though they were expecting her to explode or something but Ellie didn't.

She turned to Lorne calmly and said,

"Can I have a word with you…Major?"

"Sure…..excuse us", Lorne said to no-one in particular as he followed Ellie from the mess hall.

"Nice to meet you all", Heather said as she moved away, wondering what the woman called Ellie had wanted to see Evan about.

She was going to make it her business to know every detail about Lorne's life.

She'd have to if she intended upon getting him back.

Outside the mess hall Ellie turned to Lorne and folded her arms across her chest.

"Ex-fiancée?" she said accusingly and Lorne nodded.

"It was years ago", he said but Ellie glared at him stubbornly.

"So? We're having a baby together yet you failed to mention that you nearly married someone else just because it was years ago?".

"I'm sorry….I didn't think it was relevant", Lorne replied getting a little tired of these mood swings of Ellie's.

"Relevant?", Ellie said incredulously.

"Look Ellie, I said I'm sorry now can we please just move on? What difference does it make if Heather is my ex or not? Ronon is your ex-husband but do you hear me griping about that?", Lorne said tetchily and Ellie stared at him.

"I'm going to finish my lunch, are you coming back in?", he asked, his hand poised on the door but Ellie shook her head.

Lorne sighed and dropped a quick kiss on her cheek.

"I'll see you later", he said as he disappeared back inside the mess hall.

End of Chapter 1


	2. Chapter 2

Date : 13.08.2007

Title : Loves' Past and Present

Author : ElaineDex

Chapter : 2 of ?

Rating : M

Pairings : Lt. Col. John Sheppard/Lyssa Hunter

Major Evan Lorne/Dr Ellie Harrison

Warnings : Sexual content, maybe some strong language.

Spoilers : This story is part of a series and follows on from Love's Dance With A Stranger.

Feedback : Yes

Disclaimer : Dr Ellie Harrison, Major James Reece, Lt Franks & Heather Russell are mine. Lyssa Hunter belongs to Kazavid. Stargate & Stargate Atlantis, unfortunately, have nothing to do with me.

**Summary : Find out how Sheppard and Lyssa's wedding plans cause chaos on Atlantis and what happens when tragedy strikes for Ellie and Lorne?**

Lorne, Lyssa, Ellie and Franks were in the briefing room when Dr Weir entered with Heather by her side.

Lorne glared at Heather as Weir said,

"Major Lorne, I realise that the mission you're about to go on does not require a negotiator but…..…you don't mind if Heather has her first off-world experience with you do you?"

"Of course not", he replied politely.

He knew Dr Weir had no idea just yet of his history with Heather but pretty soon and thanks to Heather's announcement in the mess hall yesterday, she and everyone else soon would.

"Okay, well, you're clear to go whenever you're ready", Weir said and Lorne nodded stiffly.

"Ten minutes", he said to Heather rather abruptly as Weir left them all to it.

Heather smiled and said,

"I'll be ready", just before she too turned and left the room.

Franks and Lyssa exchanged a look as Ellie folded her arms and glared at Lorne.

"We'll meet you at the jumper", Franks said as they headed for the door and Lyssa touched Ellie's arm briefly as she passed her in a move of silent support.

"We didn't talk much last night", Ellie said and Lorne looked at her.

"I was afraid to say anything just in case you bit my head off", he replied and Ellie frowned.

"Am I that bad?", she asked quietly and Lorne sighed.

"At the moment..yes", he answered truthfully and Ellie looked down at her hands.

When she looked back up, Lorne had moved to stand before her and she looked up into his eyes.

"I……can't help it…….I…….do you still have feelings for Heather?", Ellie asked in a rush and Lorne smiled.

He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close.

"She slept with my best friend. I found them in bed together so……..what do you think?", he said and Ellie gasped and raised her hands to his face.

"Oh……Evan….", she said and even though he smiled, she could tell his pride still smarted even after all this time.

"I'm sorry", she said and he cocked his head to one side.

"For what?", he asked.

"For being so mean to you lately", Ellie said, wrapping her arms around his neck and Lorne kissed her neck as he said simply,

"Hormones".

Ellie laughed and hugged him close.

"Come on….let's get to the jumper and you can tell me what I'm supposed to do with that lap top of yours", Lorne said eventually pulling away from her but catching her hand in his as they left the room.

A little later Ellie had shown Lorne the programme that they needed on her lap top and was talking to Lyssa at the doors of the jumper when Heather appeared in a full SGA off-world uniform, plus a few extra accessories.

Lyssa and Ellie glanced at one another as she passed by them and headed straight for Lorne.

"I'm all ready to go", she said.

"So I see", Lorne replied, trying not to laugh at how over-dressed she was.

Heather smiled and turned to look back at Ellie before looking back to Lorne.

"I've been meaning to ask you…..what exactly does Dr Harrison have to do with your team, I mean she seems sweet enough but she doesn't make an effort to dress up does she? She reminds me of that girl from down the road from where we grew up as kids….do you remember, the one that used to hang around you all the time at school?"

Lorne looked at Heather and wondered how he could have ever loved someone as sarcastic as her.

He didn't answer her question with regard to Ellie's role, merely went to move past her, saying in her ear as he did so,

"Yeah, I remember Jessica. I recall liking her……very, very much…."

Heather turned and watched as Lorne approached Ellie and wrapped an arm possessively around her waist before taking her mouth with his in an equally possessive kiss.

Heather smiled to hide the jolt of jealousy that hit her and she turned away as she realised what Lorne was trying to tell her without actually saying the words.

When Lorne finally let her go, Ellie said breathlessly,

"What was that for?"

"Can't I just kiss you when I feel like it?", Lorne replied a little defensively, feeling guilty for using Ellie to prove a point to Heather.

"Well sure….", Ellie replied, feeling a little confused by Lorne's sudden change in mood.

Still, now she knew how he'd been feeling lately.

"I'll let you get going then", she said, changing the subject. "You're sure you're ok with the lap top?"

Lorne nodded and caught her arm as she went to leave the jumper.

"I'll see you later okay?", he said and Ellie smiled and leaned back toward him.

"I'll be here", she replied, pressing her mouth to his, her hands going to his chest.

"Why do I always realise that I want to take you to bed at the most in-opportune moments?", she murmured and Lorne grinned.

"I don't know……why do you do that?", he asked.

Ellie smiled and moved away from him reluctantly and exited the jumper.

She waved as he closed the rear doors and then left the jumper bay.

**OOoOO**

"I know! Maybe I could help with the music for the wedding", McKay said as Sheppard rested his elbows on the lab work-bench by McKay's side.

"Uh, well……Teyla's gonna sing at the ceremony and then Ellie's gonna rig up mine, Lorne's and Franks' MP3's to one of the lap tops so that they play all our tunes really loudly and…..", Sheppard trailed off as he saw Rodney's smile fade as yet another of his ideas for the wedding failed.

"Look…..we'll think of something…..", he said and Rodney nodded glumly just as Ellie entered the lab.

"Hey, how's it going?", she asked, looking from Sheppard to Rodney and back again.

"Oh everything's just fine", Rodney said and Ellie arched an eyebrow as Sheppard said,

"We still haven't found Rodney anything to do in the wedding".

"Oh", Ellie said in an understanding tone.

She turned back to Rodney and said, "You should be grateful really, I mean all you have to do is turn up and enjoy yourself….no worries about not completing your assigned task correctly and all that…."

"You're worried about the MP3's?", Sheppard asked and Ellie shook her head.

"Of course not, I'm just trying to make Rodney feel better", she replied and Sheppard hid a smirk as Rodney pulled a face and turned his back to them.

**OOoOO**

In the lab next door, Dr Zelenka and his team watched with increasing alarm as the experiment they were conducting lit up more and more of the red danger bars on the screens in front of them.

"Can't you switch it off?", his main assistant, Dr Green asked and Zelenka swore in his own language before saying,

"What do you think I've been trying to do for the past ten minutes?"

"I think we should evacuate the area", Green said and Zelenka nodded a little reluctantly.

"Rodney is going to love this one", he said.

He was about to press his ear-piece to contact Dr Weir when sparks began to fly from the equipment they had been working on and they had to run for the door as it began to crack and creak dangerously.

As they ran past the glass windows of McKay's lab, Zelenka yelled,

"Get out of there…..now! There's going to be an explosion……."

"What the hell?", Sheppard said.

He was about to usher Ellie and Rodney to the door when a loud bang erupted from the lab next door and the whole floor shook. The glass windows shattered and Ellie screamed and covered her head to protect it from the flying shards.

"Ellie…look out!, Rodney yelled as he saw the metal book case which was behind her beginning to fall and he moved to push her out of the way but it fell onto both of them.

Rodney tried to keep all the weight off her but he couldn't and he collapsed along with the bookcase, effectively crushing Ellie beneath him.

Sheppard, who had been dodging falling objects, had seen what had happened and was trying to get to the bookcase. His boots crunched on the broken glass as he pressed his ear-piece.

"Ronon, get up to McKay's lab….now, I need some help, there's been an explosion".

"On my way", Ronon responded immediately.

Smoke billowed from Zelenka's lab, setting off alarms all over the floor and making it difficult to see.

Zelenka, meanwhile, had seen that Sheppard, Rodney and Ellie had not exited the lab before the explosion and had alerted Dr Beckett and Dr Weir to what had gone on and they too were on their way.

Ronon was the first to arrive and he saw Sheppard through the smoke, trying to lift the huge metal bookcase off the floor.

"What the hell happened?", he asked, moving forward and helping to lift the case up.

"Some kind of explosion in Zelenka's lab……..", Sheppard grunted as they shifted the bookcase and Ronon was shocked to see Rodney there, Ellie sprawled beneath him.

"You two ok?", Sheppard asked but only Rodney grunted in response.

"Ellie?", Ronon said, crouching on the floor as Rodney shifted off of her.

"Geez Rodney…..you're heavy", Ellie muttered, letting Ronon help her into a sitting position.

"It wasn't just me that fell on you", Rodney blustered, stretching his back to test for injuries.

"You sure you're ok?", Ronon asked Ellie who nodded and went to stand but doubled over as a sharp pain shot through her abdomen.

"Ahh….oh….that kinda hurt", she said, pressing a hand to her stomach as another pain gripped her.

"The baby…", Sheppard said exchanging a glance with Ronon, who steadied Ellie as she shot out a hand and gripped his arm.

Ellie let out a low moan just as Beckett arrived and quickly assessed the situation.

"We'd better get you to the infirmary", he said to Ellie who nodded, tears filling her eyes as yet another pain hit her.

"It's better if you don't walk. Ronon would you be kind enough to carry Ellie? Quickly now…", Beckett said and Ronon nodded, scooping Ellie up gently into his arms and following the doctor from the room.

Weir arrived, Zelenka at her heels, just as they left and Zelenka watched Ronon and Ellie, his face full of guilt as they disappeared.

"What the hell happened Zelenka?", Rodney asked, brushing himself off and touching a hand to the back of his head gingerly, only to discover that it was bleeding.

"I'm not sure…..the experiment just started to go wrong…..I…I'm so sorry", Zelenka said and Weir folded her arms.

"Rodney, get yourself checked out in the infirmary and Zelenka, I want a full report on my desk a.s.a.p."

As Rodney and Zelenka moved from the room, Weir looked around at the mess and sighed.

She hoped Ellie would be alright.

There was always something happening on Atlantis…..would things ever run smoothly?

End of Chapter 2


	3. Chapter 3

Date : 13.08.2007

Title : Loves' Past and Present

Author : ElaineDex

Chapter : 3 of ?

Rating : M

Pairings : Lt. Col. John Sheppard/Lyssa Hunter

Major Evan Lorne/Dr Ellie Harrison

Warnings : Angst/hurt.

Spoilers : This story is part of a series and follows on from Love's Dance With A Stranger.

Feedback : Yes

Disclaimer : Dr Ellie Harrison, Major James Reece, Lt Franks & Heather Russell are mine. Lyssa Hunter belongs to Kazavid. Stargate & Stargate Atlantis, unfortunately, have nothing to do with me.

**Summary : Find out how Sheppard and Lyssa's wedding plans cause chaos on Atlantis and what happens when tragedy strikes for Ellie and Lorne?**

Lorne's team headed back to the jumper with not much to show for their visit to the small planet.

Heather walked alongside Lorne as he tapped dubiously on Ellie's lap top.

"So….are all of your off-world missions so…..exciting?", she asked and Lorne glanced at her.

"No, sometimes we see the Wraith…..I can't wait for you to come across one of those", he answered and Heather smiled sweetly at him.

"Oh, ha ha, very funny".

"Whose joking", Lorne muttered, snapping the lid of the lap top closed.

"You still haven't forgiven me have you?", Heather said and Lorne glared at her.

"You really expected me to?".

"I just thought…….It was years ago Evan and like I tried to explain to you back then, it didn't mean anything…it was just sex", Heather said and Lorne laughed.

"Just sex huh? With my best friend? Jeez you're unbelievable".

"But I love…..loved you. Steve was just…..well you know what Steve was like", Heather said and Lorne shook his head.

"Yeah I know what Steve was like. But I thought I could trust you with him at least. I guess I was wrong", Lorne replied, walking a little quicker so that he left her behind and Heather sighed.

Lorne was not as easy a pushover as he had been a few years ago and she was obviously going to have to work a little harder at getting him back. She now knew she had to get Ellie totally out of the picture.

But how?

**OOoOO**

Just when Beckett thought he had stopped Ellie's bleeding, she haemorrhaged again and this time he couldn't stop it.

"I'm sorry Ellie love but I think we're going to have to face the facts……..you may be losing the baby", he said and Ellie nodded numbly.

From the moment the pains had started in the lab she'd known that something was wrong.

Beckett fussed around her but all he could do was monitor the flow of the bleeding.

Ellie tried to be calm but all she could think of was how disappointed Lorne was going to be. He'd been so excited about becoming a father.

Tears pooled in her eyes just as Lorne entered the infirmary like a man possessed.

He raced to her side and went to pull her into his arms but Beckett stopped him.

"Gently does it Major……Ellie needs to lay still for now".

"Colonel Sheppard told me what happened. Are you alright?", Lorne asked, his brow furrowing when Ellie looked to Beckett for help.

"Ellie wasn't hurt by the explosion but the weight of the bookcase, well…….I'm afraid it looks as though she's losing the baby…….I'm sorry", Beckett explained and Lorne stared at him for a moment as though he hadn't quite understood.

"Evan…?", Ellie said, her voice low and he looked at her.

He took her hand and said quietly as he looked away, "It's alright……it doesn't matter".

Ellie looked up at him as a tear escaped and slid down one cheek.

"Of course it matters", she whispered.

Beckett sighed and left them to it for a while to go and see to Rodney who appeared to be bleeding everywhere from a cut on his head.

Once they were alone and Beckett had drawn the curtain around Ellie's bed she squeezed Lorne's hand, trying to get him to look at her.

"I'm sorry….it's my fault…..", she said but Lorne shook his head slowly.

"How is it your fault?", he asked and Ellie swiped at her eyes and grimaced as another pain hit her lower abdomen.

"I shouldn't have been in McKay's lab….I had other stuff to do. I should never have gone that way at all".

"It's not your fault", Lorne said, but his voice sounded dull and void of any emotion and Ellie bit back the urge to sob openly.

She wondered if Lorne hated her right now. Maybe if he didn't, he soon would when it really sank in that she had lost their child.

Lorne looked down at Ellie and he felt like his heart was breaking in two. He should've been here when the explosion happened. Maybe if he'd kept her talking longer at the jumper…….

Suddenly he pulled his hand from hers and said,

"I need to go get rid of these", he said, indicating to the P-90 that still hung from his vest and the hand-gun that was strapped to his leg.

When Sheppard had greeted him in the jumper bay and told him what had happened he had sprinted to the infirmary without a thought for protocol or duty but now, the sensible side of him was returning and he couldn't stop it.

"You…..you will come back…won't you?", Ellie asked, thinking of the last time she'd been in the infirmary, after Jones' men had attacked her and Lorne hadn't come back to see her.

He looked at her strangely and replied,

"Of course I'll come back".

Ellie nodded and tried to smile as he dropped a kiss on her forehead but it didn't quite work and it came out all wobbly as more tears escaped onto her cheeks.

"It'll be ok", he murmured, touching her shoulder gently, but as he walked away Lorne wondered how it could be.

How did they get over this?

Yet again he hadn't been there for her when she'd needed him. He felt numb, as though he had gone into shock…..maybe he had.

He hadn't known what to say to Ellie and had found it easier to walk away from her than to stay and comfort her.

As he headed for the armoury, he rubbed a hand over his face as he realised that he was just no good at being in a relationship. Every one that he'd been in had ended up in one disaster or another and it looked liked this one was going the same way……….

Maybe someone or something was trying to tell him that he and Ellie were just not meant for one another, after all, she'd had no problem carrying Ronon's baby so why was she losing his?

**ooo**

As Lorne exited the infirmary, Rodney turned to Beckett.

"It's my fault isn't it? I crushed her…."

"Don't be silly Rodney. It had nothing to do with you", Beckett replied but Rodney still looked worried.

"But what if Lorne thinks it was my fault?", he asked and Beckett shook his head as he put a stitch in Rodney's scalp.

"I think the Major will have other things on his mind".

**ooo**

A while later and Ellie's pain wasn't getting any better.

Every time the infirmary door opened she looked across hoping to see Lorne but it was never him.

The next time it opened Ellie saw Lyssa striding purposefully toward her and she physically couldn't hold her sobs back any longer.

As soon as Lyssa wrapped her arms gently around Ellie's shoulders, the flood-gates opened and the two women cried together.

"Have….have you seen….Ev…Evan?", Ellie hiccupped eventually and Lyssa shook her head.

"John saw him in the armoury and he told him you were losing the baby", she replied.

"He said he'd come back….but he hasn't", Ellie sniffed and Lyssa sighed.

"John said Evan looked pretty gutted….maybe he's just taking a bit of time to pull himself together before he comes back", she suggested and Ellie nodded, taking the tissue that Lyssa held out to her.

"I am really sorry about the baby", Lyssa said and Ellie nodded, knowing that she would have to endure everyone saying the same sentence to her over and over for some time to come yet.

Lyssa was about to get a seat when Lorne re-entered the infirmary and she decided to leave them to it.

"Thanks for stopping by", Ellie said and Lyssa pressed a kiss impulsively to Ellie's cheek as Lorne moved to her side.

"No problem…..I'll see you soon", Lyssa replied, offering a tentative smile at Lorne and he returned it but Lyssa could see that he was really cut up.

Once Lyssa had gone, Ellie turned her tear-streaked face up to Lorne and said angrily,

"Where have you been? You said you'd come back…….you're never here when I need you".

Lorne looked at her, hurt clear on his face as he said,

"I know I'm not and I'm sorry".

Ellie sobbed and turned over so that she had her back to him and he watched as her shoulders began to shake.

Lorne sighed raggedly and got onto the bed behind her.

Ellie felt his heat at her back and realised that this was not the time to be stubborn.

She turned back to face him and buried her face in his chest, her fists bunching in his T-shirt as she snuggled closer to him.

Lorne wrapped his arms around her and blinked back tears of his own.

If he could do nothing else for Ellie he would make sure that he was strong for her. She deserved that at least.

The next morning Dr Beckett decided it would be best to perform D&C upon Ellie to help stop the pain and ease the bleeding and as he gave her the anaesthetic, Ellie gripped Lorne's hand.

"You'll be here when I wake up?", she asked and Lorne nodded, realising that she didn't trust that he would be and he couldn't blame her for thinking like that.

After all, he hadn't been there when Tyler had taken her, nor when Jones' men had almost…he closed his eyes as he remembered what had almost happened to her. When he opened his eyes it was to see Beckett wheeling her in to the infirmary's operating room.

He folded his arms as he watched her disappear through the double doors.

He didn't know what to do or how to make things right.

If indeed he ever could.

End of Chapter 3


	4. Chapter 4

Date : 15.08.2007

Title : Loves' Past and Present

Author : ElaineDex

Chapter : 4 of ?

Rating : M

Pairings : Lt. Col. John Sheppard/Lyssa Hunter

Major Evan Lorne/Dr Ellie Harrison

Warnings : Angst/hurt.

Spoilers : This story is part of a series and follows on from Love's Dance With A Stranger.

Feedback : Yes

Disclaimer : Dr Ellie Harrison, Major James Reece, Lt Franks & Heather Russell are mine. Lyssa Hunter belongs to Kazavid. Stargate & Stargate Atlantis, unfortunately, have nothing to do with me.

**Summary : Find out how Sheppard and Lyssa's wedding plans cause chaos on Atlantis and what happens when tragedy strikes for Ellie and Lorne?**

Whilst Ellie was having the D&C done, Lorne went to get some coffee in the mess hall and he groaned when he saw Heather approaching him.

"Not now", he said but she reached out and touched his arm.

"I didn't know you and Ellie were having a baby".

"We're not…….not anymore", he replied and Heather sighed.

"I know and I just wanted to say how sorry I was", she said and Lorne nodded, looking down at the coffee he held.

Over by the tables, Lyssa turned away and looked at Sheppard and the others.

"I feel so bad for Ellie and Lorne. I mean, I feel guilty even thinking about the wedding let alone talking about it now", she said but Teyla shook her head.

"I am sure Ellie would welcome any talk that does not relate to the subject of babies", she said and Lyssa sighed.

"Maybe".

"I'm gonna take Hope by to see her later", Ronon said, watching as Heather and Lorne parted company and Lorne left the mess hall, probably to go back to the infirmary.

"She'll like that", Lyssa said watching, as was everyone else, as Sheppard kissed their son's downy head as he held him close to his chest and she could tell that everyone was thinking their own sad thoughts for Lorne and Ellie's loss.

After a few moments, Rodney's voice broke their silent reverie as he said,

"Hey, maybe I could help with the decorations for the wedding….you know the bunting and stuff that you'll probably want hanging all around the city".

Lyssa and Sheppard exchanged a glance and Rodney groaned loudly.

"Don't tell me! Someone else already got that job didn't they?", he huffed and Lyssa sighed deeply as she replied,

"Well….we sorta gave that task to the Athosian kids that live here in the city".

"Right. Okay then, that's perfectly fine. I'm sure you'll come up with something for me to do soon right?", Rodney answered and Lyssa nodded.

"Yes Rodney, I'm sure I will".

**OOoOO**

Ellie opened her eyes to see Lorne sat by her bed and she offered him a tentative smile.

"Hey", she croaked and Lorne leaned closer.

"How're you feeling?", he asked, smoothing her hair away from her forehead.

"Empty", she whispered and he sighed. He took one of her hands in his and raised it to his mouth, kissing her palm softly.

He didn't know what to say to her to try to make her feel better. He felt powerless to help her and he hated feeling that way.

She looked pale and as she drifted back to sleep, Lorne went to get Beckett to come check on her.

"She's fine Major. She just needs to rest up for a few days then everything will be almost back to normal", Beckett coloured up as Lorne looked at him sharply.

"I'm sorry. Obviously I didn't mean everything…….", he trailed off as Lorne waved a hand.

"It's ok Doc……I know what you meant".

Beckett nodded and moved away.

Over the next couple of days, Ellie stayed in the infirmary, Lorne by her side.

They received visitor after visitor, all telling them how sorry they were for their loss and whilst they nodded and went through the motions and put up a united front, both Ellie and Lorne knew that privately they were falling apart.

They had barely spoken, Ellie thinking that Lorne blamed her for losing the baby and Lorne thinking that Ellie hated him for not being there for her.

Once Beckett had discharged her from the infirmary he warned her to get plenty of rest and that she could only go back to the lab in a few more days time. He said she could resume off-world duties but only in a couple of weeks.

She watched one morning from one of the walk-ways as Lorne, Lyssa and Franks waited to leave by the gate. As it whooshed into life, Lorne looked up at her and waved, frowning as Heather appeared by Ellie's side.

Ellie waved back then turned to look at Heather as she stated,

"Things don't seem to be going too well for you and Evan at the moment do they".

"I don't think my relationship with Evan has anything to do with you", Ellie replied, going to walk away, but Heather rested a perfectly manicured hand on her arm, stopping her as she said,

"I should warn you Ellie, I have every intention of getting Evan back and someone as insignificant as you is not going to stop me".

Ellie stared at Heather, her mouth slightly open with shock. She lost the power of speech as the other woman continued,

"Tell me, has Evan even asked you to marry him?"

When Ellie didn't respond, Heather smiled almost cruelly.

"I didn't think so. He asked me within five months of us being together and I wasn't even pregnant so what does that tell you?"

Heather sighed and watched as Ellie paled visibly.

"It will never work between you two Ellie so why don't you bow out now whilst you still have some dignity?"

Now that the baby was gone it was one less obstacle in Heather's path and if she could break Ellie down whilst she was in this vulnerable state then the path to Lorne would be totally clear.

"I think you should mind your own business", Ellie managed eventually but Heather merely smiled.

"I'm just trying to prevent you from making a fool of yourself. Evan is way out of your league Ellie and the sooner you realise that the better", and with that she strode confidently away leaving Ellie shaking angrily.

Her hormones were all over the place and tears pooled in her eyes as she stared after Heather indignantly.

What Heather had said about Lorne not asking her to marry him went around and around in her head and although it had never even entered her thoughts before, she now couldn't stop thinking about it.

Why hadn't he asked her? Did he really think she wasn't good enough for him? She knew Lorne's mother was an art teacher, as was his sister and that his father had been a military man but she had never considered herself to be out of his league.

Until now maybe.

Suddenly a hand touched her shoulder gently and Ellie jumped and turned to see Sheppard looking at her, concern upon his face as he took in her pale colouring and tear-filled eyes.

"Are you alright? Do you need to see Beckett?", he asked and Ellie shook her head, trying to smile at him and pull herself together at the same time.

"Ah, no…..I'm fine", she replied, clearing her throat but Sheppard frowned.

"You don't look fine……I don't mean you don't look good or anything……I just mean……", he trailed off as he realised he was sinking deeper and Ellie shook her head.

"It's ok John", she said and he held his arm out for her to hook hers through it.

"Where you headed, I'll walk with you?", he asked.

Ellie sighed and linked her arm with his, grateful for his show of support even though he knew nothing of what had just transpired between her and Heather.

"I was going to go to the lab but I think I'll go for a lie down instead", she said and Sheppard nodded.

"I would. I'd spend my entire life lying down if I could", he said and Ellie had to smile at his strange comment.

She knew he was trying to cheer her up and she squeezed his arm.

Sheppard walked her to her room and then headed off, leaving Ellie to get some rest but no sooner was she alone than her conversation with Heather filled her mind once again.

She should talk to Lorne when he got back but they were barely on speaking terms as it was. How could she ask him why he hadn't asked her to marry him? If she was truthful, she wasn't sure that she really wanted to know, just in case she didn't like the answer he gave her.

'Did it even matter that he hadn't asked her?', she wondered as she went out to the balcony to look out at the ocean.

Marriage wasn't everything, just look what had happened to hers and Ronon's. She had thought she would be with Ronon for the rest of her life….until she had fallen for Lorne that was.

What if Lorne fell for Heather? Yes she had hurt him but he had loved her once. What if he fell back in love with her?

Ellie groaned and covered her face with her hands.

Her head hurt. She went back inside and took two of the sleeping pills Beckett had given her and then she lay down.

Thankfully the pills seemed to work and she fell to sleep.

She was still asleep when Lorne returned from off-world and he looked down at her sleeping form as she lay still.

He ached to just lay on the bed with her and hold her but something held him back.

What if she didn't want him? What would he do if she pushed him away? He didn't think he could handle it if she did so he turned and left the room, heading to his office. He may as well at least try and get some paperwork done.

He had been sat down at his desk for around ten minutes when Heather appeared in his doorway.

"I wasn't sure you'd be here, I thought you may be with Ellie", she said and Lorne looked at her.

"Ellie's sleeping".

Heather nodded and walked further into his office. She realised that if Ellie was asleep she wouldn't have told Lorne about their little conversation earlier and she took the opportunity to mix things up a little. She knew Lorne had seen her approach Ellie on the walk-way as he was leaving but he wouldn't know what had been said.

"I know Ellie, and you, are going through a tough time lately but she said some pretty nasty things to me earlier".

Lorne leaned back in his chair and sighed.

"So? As you said, she's going through a tough time, but I can't believe Ellie would say anything that bad to you Heather, not without being provoked, she's just not like that".

"Well I don't know where she gets her ideas from but she said she knew what I was up to and that I was to stay the hell away from you or she'd……..", Heather trailed off and Lorne raised an eyebrow.

"Or she'd what?", he asked and Heather looked away dramatically as she finished,

"Or she'd report me to Dr Weir for not doing my job properly".

Lorne frowned as something didn't ring quite true with Heather's statement.

Heather had only been on Atlantis a short time and Ellie didn't have a clue what her job entailed just yet so how could she report Heather for not doing it correctly?

"I'll speak to her later okay?", he said but Heather shook her head.

"No. Don't. It'll just make things worse…..just leave it for now. I realise Ellie is pretty upset but she has no worries about me stealing you away from her, does she?", she asked looking at Lorne in her most seductive manner.

Lorne looked back at Heather and shook his head.

"None whatsoever", he replied and Heather smiled tightly and turned to leave.

"I'll see you around then", she said as she reached the door and Lorne nodded but didn't reply.

His thoughts had already turned to Ellie and what she had, or hadn't, said to Heather.

If she had warned her off him that would imply that she still cared for him. He needed to ask her what exactly, if anything, she had said to Heather.

He pushed away from his desk and stood. He headed back to Ellie's room and let himself in to find her just emerging from the bathroom.

"You alright?", he asked and Ellie nodded and ran a hand through her dishevelled curls.

She suddenly felt self-conscious about her appearance and she smoothed at her crumpled clothes, inwardly cursing the fact that she hadn't bothered to take them off before taking her nap.

She moved to the bed and sat on the edge, Lorne moving to sit by her side.

"Heather came to see me", Lorne began and Ellie looked at him as he continued, "She said you said some……things to her before".

"And you believed her I presume?", Ellie snapped and Lorne shook his head.

"Did I say I did?", he snapped back and Ellie looked away.

"How come you never moved in here properly?", Ellie suddenly asked, completely changing the subject and Lorne blinked at her.

"What?"

"You sleep here every night but a lot of your stuff is still in your room. Why is that?", Ellie said and Lorne frowned.

"I don't know. I guess I just never got around to moving everything….why?"

"Maybe you just thought things wouldn't work out between us and thought you'd keep your own room too, just in case", Ellie said standing and Lorne stared at her.

"Ellie, what are you talking about? You're being ridiculous", he said and Ellie glared at him.

"Don't talk down to me Evan", she said and Lorne stood, anger rising at her unreasonable behaviour.

"I'm not….I….", he began but Ellie cut him off.

"I think maybe you should stay in your own room from now on. I think I need some time on my own".

Lorne's stomach lurched at her words but he forced himself to say,

"If that's what you want".

Ellie nodded, wrapping her arms around herself.

"It is", she murmured.

"Fine", Lorne replied moving past her.

"You know where I am if you need me", he offered and she nodded, blinking back tears as he left.

As she sat back down and curled into a ball she wondered what the hell she'd just done.

As Lorne walked away from Ellie's room he came to the conclusion that she mustn't care about him at all. If she did, surely she would realise just how much he was hurting over the loss of their baby and she would know that sending him away from her was not the best thing for either of them.

Obviously though she didn't see things the way he did and he had to accept her decision. He had no other option.

End of Chapter 4


	5. Chapter 5

Date : 17.08.2007

Title : Loves' Past and Present

Author : ElaineDex

Chapter : 5 of ?

Rating : M

Pairings : Lt. Col. John Sheppard/Lyssa Hunter

Major Evan Lorne/Dr Ellie Harrison

Warnings : Angst/hurt.

Spoilers : This story is part of a series and follows on from Love's Dance With A Stranger.

Feedback : Yes

Disclaimer : Dr Ellie Harrison, Major James Reece, Lt Franks & Heather Russell are mine. Lyssa Hunter belongs to Kazavid. Stargate & Stargate Atlantis, unfortunately, have nothing to do with me.

**Summary : Find out how Sheppard and Lyssa's wedding plans cause chaos on Atlantis and what happens when tragedy strikes for Ellie and Lorne?**

Bad news travelled fast on Atlantis and it wasn't long before the rumour mill started to buzz with news of Ellie and Lorne's split.

"Is it permanent?", Lyssa asked of Ellie as they got some air on one of the cities' outer walk ways.

"I don't know", Ellie replied wrapping her jacket around herself as she shivered against the ocean breeze.

"Ellie, it's only been a week since you lost the baby. You and Lorne should be together, trying to work through your grief not battling it out alone", Lyssa said and Ellie closed her eyes as they filled with tears.

She was sick of crying and of thinking about her problems.

"I was thinking of going to the mainland tomorrow with Hope. Would you like to go with me? You could bring Conner", she said, changing the subject and Lyssa sighed.

"Sure…why not", she murmured, frowning at her friend.

She was worried about Ellie. Maybe Sheppard could speak to Lorne.

**OOoOO**

"She won't talk to me", Lorne said, his tone exasperated as he turned to Sheppard.

"I've tried e-mailing her, all kinds of stuff but she's avoiding me".

"How're you holding up?", Sheppard asked.

He could see Lorne looked tired and aside from being concerned as a friend, he needed to know that his second in command was up to his job.

"I'm alright Sir", Lorne replied, knowing what Sheppard was asking in not so many words.

"You sure? Cause if you want some personal time I'm sure Elizabeth could……", Sheppard trailed off as Lorne shook his head.

"No, thanks. I'd prefer to be busy".

"Okay….if you change your mind……", Sheppard said and Lorne nodded.

"I'll go and see Weir if I do".

**OOoOO**

A few days later, Sheppard and his team were off-world when an opportunity arose for a trade-off with some local people.

A recent fire had wiped out most of their properties and all they wanted in exchange for some invaluable medical knowledge that Beckett would probably kill for, was a hand erecting some new buildings.

"Are we not supposed to wait for Heather before we make any trades?", Teyla asked as Sheppard shook hands with the leader of the people and Sheppard shrugged.

Rodney and Teyla exchanged a glance as they headed back to the Stargate.

Back on Atlantis a while later, Heather was creating holy hell in Weir's office as she learnt that Sheppard had carried out a trade without her being present.

"What is the point of me being here if you're going to completely disregard my instructions?", she shot at Sheppard who shrugged in response.

"There is no point", he replied nonchalantly and just as Heather looked set to explode again, Weir raised her hands.

"Look, Colonel, the SGC feels that we need someone in control of our trades and that is why they sent Heather".

"Well I feel that we don't need any help in that area", Sheppard replied and Heather folded her arms.

"Well unfortunately for you, you don't make the decisions around here Colonel so from here-on-in, if you have a trade to make, you get back here and find me. Are we quite clear on that?"

"Crystal", Sheppard replied sarcastically and Heather smiled coldly.

"Good. Now if you'll excuse me I have to get ready to go with Major Reece's team. He has followed protocol and we're about to negotiate for information about the possible whereabouts of a ZPM".

As Heather left Weir's office, Sheppard pulled a face at her back and Weir hid a smile.

"John, she's only trying to do the job she's been sent here to do", she tried to reason but Sheppard stood and folded his arms.

"We don't need a negotiator though Elizabeth. You can bet that sometime in the future we'll get back here, get her, get back to the planet and the people we were going to trade with will have gone", he grumbled and Weir nodded.

"Well then, if that is what continues to happen we will have grounds to get rid of Heather but until then there is nothing I can do about it John. I'm sorry".

Sheppard nodded and sighed deeply.

**OOoOO**

A couple of weeks went by and so far Sheppard's, Lorne's and Reece's teams had lost six trades in total, a fact that Sheppard was closely keeping an eye on.

Ellie and Lorne had still not talked and Heather was revelling in that fact.

One afternoon she went to the gym area only to discover that Lorne was about to go on a run around the city.

"Mind if I join you?", she asked, pulling on her sneakers and Lorne shrugged.

"If you can keep up, you can run with me. If not, just follow the route I take", he replied and she nodded, following him out of the door.

They were halfway around the city when Lorne rounded a corner and almost ran into Ellie who was carrying Hope on her hip.

"Hey", he said, a little out of breath and Ellie tried to avert her eyes from his muscular arms and chest which was proving a little difficult in light of the fact he only wore a training vest with his joggers.

As Heather drew level with them, Hope reached out her arms to Lorne and tried to squirm toward him.

"No honey, Evan's busy right now", Ellie said, trying to keep hold of the toddler but she was struggling and shouldn't really be carrying anything heavy just yet.

Lorne knew this and he plucked Hope from her and held her in one arm.

"That's ok. How's my favourite little girl?", he asked and Hope giggled as Lorne tickled her neck.

Ellie watched on, torn between snatching her child from Lorne and leaving or staying and enjoying the way he fussed over her daughter.

Hope had missed Lorne these last weeks.

She wasn't the only one.

Heather looked on disdainfully and said,

"Evan, we should keep going. You shouldn't cool down, you'll get cramps".

Lorne and Ellie exchanged a glance and Lorne put Hope down on the floor, Ellie grasping one of her hands whilst he held the other.

"How's her walking coming along?", he asked and Ellie smiled.

"She's doing great", she replied and Lorne nodded.

"You should let her walk back, you shouldn't be carrying her", he said.

Ellie looked at him and frowned. He still sounded like he cared. She wondered if he really did and why was he out running with Heather?

Stop it!

She shouted at herself mentally. She was asking herself too many questions again and it wasn't good for her.

Ellie took Hope's other hand from Lorne and stood to one side so that he and Heather could pass by.

"We'll see you around Ellie", Heather said and Ellie looked down at her daughter to hide the sad expression on her face.

Did Heather's comment mean that she and Lorne were going to be seeing more of one another? Were they getting back together?

She turned away and walked slowly with Hope back the way she'd come.

If Lorne did get back with Heather she didn't know how she'd cope.

**OOoOO**

Sheppard had made the mistake of venturing into Rodney's lab one afternoon only to find himself bombarded with questions about the wedding.

Rodney sighed despondently as Sheppard said,

"Sorry Rodney but Franks is in charge of the chairs for the ceremony".

"For god's sake", Rodney moaned, "How can somebody be in charge of chairs?".

"Well, you wanted to be", Sheppard replied and Rodney glared at him.

"I think you'd have found that I would have done a much superior job with them than Lieutenant Franks will", he said haughtily and Sheppard frowned at him.

"Rodney….they're chairs…..what can go wrong?"

"Ah…..you'll see…..then you'll be coming to me saying you wished I'd have been in charge of the chairs", Rodney said and Sheppard groaned.

"Whatever……look, can't you just be happy doing nothing?", he asked and Rodney stared at him incredulously.

"No I cannot just be happy doing nothing".

"Why not, you normally are", Sheppard muttered under his breath but Rodney said,

"I heard that".

"You were meant to", Sheppard said as he left the lab to get some peace.

**OOoOO**

Lorne was eating his lunch with Franks and Reece when Ellie entered the mess hall with Ronon and Hope.

He watched sadly as Ronon held Hope whilst Ellie got them all something to eat and drink and he had to fight down the jealousy that hit him hard in the chest over their little display of family unity.

He dragged his eyes away just as Reece was saying,

"Hey did you hear about Colonel Edwards who heads up SG-2 back home?"

"No", Franks replied and Reece continued,

"He's been badly wounded off world and the SGC is on the lookout for a temporary replacement until he's back".

"Oh……well, I'm sure someone will step up to fill the breach", Franks replied, taking a swig of his coffee and Lorne looked away thoughtfully.

**oo**

A while later he emerged from Weir's office wondering had he done the right thing in volunteering to return to earth.

Still, it was done now and there was no going back.

**OOoOO**

Sheppard stared at Weir as she told him of Lorne's request.

"I hope you told him he couldn't go?", Sheppard said and Weir shook her head.

"I can't do that John, it's his decision".

"You know he'll want to come back though right? I mean he'll probably only be gone a day and he'll miss Ellie so badly he'll want to come back", Sheppard said, loath to lose a good man like Lorne.

"There's nothing I can do. He wants to head up SG-2", Weir said and Sheppard sighed.

"But that's only temporary. What's he gonna do when Edwards is recovered?".

"I don't know, I'm sure General Landry will find him something", Weir replied, folding her arms as Sheppard paced her office.

"We have to keep his position open here", he said and as Weir looked about to object he added, "At least until Edwards is back to work. We have to give Lorne the option to return here".

Eventually Weir nodded.

"Okay. But only until Edwards is back, then I need a decision from the Major".

Sheppard nodded and sighed in relief.

End of Chapter 5


	6. Chapter 6

Date : 20.08.2007

Title : Loves' Past and Present

Author : ElaineDex

Chapter : 6 of ?

Rating : M

Pairings : Lt. Col. John Sheppard/Lyssa Hunter

Major Evan Lorne/Dr Ellie Harrison

Warnings : Angst/hurt.

Spoilers : This story is part of a series and follows on from Love's Dance With A Stranger.

Feedback : Yes

Disclaimer : Dr Ellie Harrison, Major James Reece, Lt Franks & Heather Russell are mine. Lyssa Hunter belongs to Kazavid. Stargate & Stargate Atlantis, unfortunately, have nothing to do with me.

**Summary : Find out how Sheppard and Lyssa's wedding plans cause chaos on Atlantis and what happens when tragedy strikes for Ellie and Lorne?**

Ellie stared at Lorne from across the briefing room table as he finished announcing to his team that he was leaving for Earth at the end of the week and that they would be getting a new team leader.

Lyssa and Franks glanced at one another as tension seemed to crackle between Ellie and Lorne.

"Well that's a shame Sir, it's been great being on your team….I'm sure things won't be the same around here without you", Franks said and Lorne nodded.

"Thanks", he said, his eyes glued to Ellie who seemed to have developed a fascination with the note pad on the table in front of her.

After a moment or two Lorne said,

"Uh, guys, could you give us a minute?"

Lyssa and Franks nodded and left the room, closing the doors behind them.

The silence in the room deafened them for a moment or two before Ellie stated,

"You're leaving".

"Yes", Lorne replied, praying she'd ask him to stay.

He watched as she stood and tucked the note pad under her arm.

"You didn't feel you could tell me first before announcing it to everyone?", Ellie said calmly….too calmly.

"You haven't exactly been talking to me have you", Lorne said and she looked away.

"Ellie….", Lorne tried but she shook her head and turned to leave.

"I hope everything goes well for you", she said as she left, leaving Lorne feeling angry, hurt and frustrated.

**OOoOO**

"I can't believe it! They're gone, again!", Sheppard cursed as he, Rodney, Ronon, Teyla and Heather got back to the rendezvous point to find the people they had been going to trade with had left.

"This is ridiculous", he said rounding on Heather who returned his glare.

"We have lost too many trades because we have to go back to Atlantis to get you but this is the last time I can promise you that", and he stormed past her to head back to the jumper.

Heather smiled.

Before she had heard Lorne's news she would have been worried but if they sent her back to Earth now they would play right into her hands and she could go back to the SGC with her ex.

Back on Atlantis Sheppard made sure Weir put the call in to the SGC and Heather was put on the list of people leaving on the Daedalus for Earth at the end of the week.

Heather took the first opportunity she could to run into Ellie, accidentally on purpose of course and share the news with her.

"I thought you'd like to know I'm leaving with Evan at the end of the week", she said as she stood behind Ellie in the queue for coffee in the mess hall.

"You mean you're on the Daedalus with Evan, your not leaving with him", Ellie replied but Heather smiled at her cruelly.

"I think you misunderstand Ellie. When Evan and I get back to Earth we're going to start afresh, we'll probably get married, maybe have a couple of kids…….Evan's mother always wanted us to have kids……", Heather trailed off as Ellie paled.

She pushed past Heather and left the mess hall.

She didn't know which emotion to feel first, hurt, anger or jealousy. Still, if Heather was the one that made Lorne happy then he was welcome to her.

**OOoOO**

"What was Lorne going to do? Now that he's leaving can I not do what he was going to do?", Rodney asked as he walked along with Sheppard and Lyssa and they glanced at one another.

"Well I'm kinda hoping Lorne is going to be back for the wedding Rodney so I'd like to leave his task open for now", Sheppard said and Lyssa nodded.

"Yeah and I don't want to upset Ellie un-necessarily".

"Okay fine…..", Rodney replied walking a little quicker so that he left them behind and Lyssa caught Sheppard's arm and stopped him.

"We really should find him something to do", she said and Sheppard wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her to him.

"I know, but what? We've given all the important stuff to people already".

Lyssa sighed and nuzzled Sheppard's ear.

"Do you really think Lorne will come back to Atlantis?", she asked and it was Sheppard's turn to sigh.

"I don't know. How's Ellie doing?"

"Not too well. She's been pretty withdrawn lately and I've noticed she's spending more time with Ronon", Lyssa replied.

"You don't think they'll………?", Sheppard trailed off as Lyssa shook her head.

"No……I just think she feels safe with him".

Sheppard nibbled at Lyssa's neck and she pressed herself more firmly against him.

"We're lucky aren't we", she said and Sheppard drew back to look her at her questioningly.

"I mean, everything that we've been through and we're still together and we have Conner", she explained and Sheppard hugged her more tightly to him.

"We're very lucky", he agreed, his mouth meeting hers in a love-filled kiss.

**OOoOO**

It was Lorne's last night on Atlantis and now that all his things were packed up he just needed to say goodbye to people. He knew a few people were gathering in the bar and so he headed that way.

He was unsure if he wanted to see Ellie or not. He couldn't believe the way things had turned out between them.

They had been so close and now they were so far apart it was as if they had hardly known one another at all.

He entered the bar area and was immediately pulled to one side by some marines.

A while later, Ellie entered the room. She had heard the people who were leaving for earth tomorrow were having a goodbye drink tonight and she thought she might get to say goodbye to Lorne at least.

She looked around for him but saw that he was sat with some marines and that Heather wasn't too far away.

She was about to turn away when Lorne looked over and their eyes locked.

Ellie's heart banged painfully in her chest as she watched Heather move over and press a drink into his hand, forcing Lorne to break eye contact with her.

She took the opportunity to leave quickly and she fled back to her room where she paced back and forth, torn between going back to the bar and staying where she was.

When a knock sounded on her door a few minutes later she frowned and debated whether to answer it or not. She didn't really feel up to talking to anyone right now.

When the knock sounded again though she moved across the room and her eyes widened as she saw Lorne stood there, his eyes brooding as he looked at her.

"Why did you come to the bar?", he asked, his voice low and Ellie's pulse quickened as she thought she saw something flicker in his eyes.

She considered lying and then changed her mind. Why bother now?

"To say goodbye", she replied eventually.

They stared at one another for the longest moment and then Lorne moved toward her, his hands going into her hair as he pressed his mouth down over hers.

Ellie moaned into his mouth as her hands moved around his sides and onto his back and she pressed herself against him as the door to her room slid shut.

Lorne knew that they should talk, that making love was probably the wrong thing to do, but, since Ellie didn't seem to like talking to him anymore and this was the only thing that would mean he could be close to her again, he'd take his chances.

"I want you", he said, his voice hoarse with emotion as he waited for her response.

Ellie's breasts tingled and heat curled in the pit of her stomach at his words and in answer to his silent question she reached for the buttons on his shirt, her fingers aching to touch the smooth skin of his chest.

It was all the confirmation Lorne needed and he groaned and wrapped an arm around her waist, backing her toward the bed.

Their hands were everywhere as they undressed one another and when Lorne finally pushed her gently down onto the mattress, Ellie was more than ready for him to enter her but something held him back.

If this was to be his last time with Ellie, he wanted her to remember every moment of it, every detail of what he did to her.

She reached for his shoulders but he moved down her body, his mouth kissing each rose tipped breast before making it's way down her abdomen and he tenderly kissed the spot where their baby had once lain.

Ellie closed her eyes as he pushed her thighs apart and he pressed his mouth to her damp core. She plunged her hands into his hair and gasped loudly as his tongue flicked in and out of her and suddenly her orgasm hit her like a bolt out of the blue.

Evan moved back up her body and smiled briefly at the wondrous look that was on her face as she stared at him.

"Are you alright?", he asked and she nodded.

He bent and kissed her neck and Ellie arched upwards against him, her legs parting for him but just as she felt his tip at her entrance she seemed to freeze and Lorne looked down at her.

"Evan………we need to, to use something……I don't want, I mean I can't get pregnant again……."

Lorne nodded, his heart plummeting at her words. Did she mean she just didn't want his children or anyone's?

Ellie reached for the beside drawer and opened it, their unused stash of condoms still sitting where he'd left them and she grabbed one and opened it.

Lorne watched her as they swapped positions and she rolled the condom down over his length, groaning as her hands caressed him.

'Just enjoy tonight' he told himself, 'You're leaving in the morning, so what if she doesn't want to have kids with you, you never have to see her again'.

'Just enjoy the sex and leave'.

But as Ellie straddled his hips and slid down his shaft, Lorne realised that it could never be 'just sex' with her.

He sat up and his arms went around her back as he took first one nipple and then the other into his mouth. Ellie's head fell back as she rose and fell upon his length and her hands gripped his shoulders as her second orgasm gripped her.

When Lorne reversed their positions and plunged into her, Ellie was still sensitised and she moaned loudly at the overwhelming feeling of having Lorne pushing so deeply in and out of her.

Ellie's moans and gasps were driving Lorne over the edge and he too groaned loudly as his body gave in to it's need to explode and he shuddered above her as he climaxed.

They lay still for a moment or two, Lorne's weight surprisingly comforting as it pushed her into the mattress and Ellie whimpered slightly as he began to move away from her.

She sighed though as she realised that he was only divesting himself of the condom and she snuggled back against him as he lay behind her, pulling the sheets up over them.

There was so much Ellie wanted to say to Lorne but she was enjoying the contented feelings she was experiencing so much that she didn't want to spoil it.

The morning would be soon enough to talk.

But when Ellie awoke the next morning, Lorne had gone and so had the Daedalus………….

End of Chapter 6


	7. Chapter 7

Date : 21.08.2007

Title : Loves' Past and Present

Author : ElaineDex

Chapter : 7 of ?

Rating : M

Pairings : Lt. Col. John Sheppard/Lyssa Hunter

Major Evan Lorne/Dr Ellie Harrison

Warnings : Angst/hurt.

Spoilers : This story is part of a series and follows on from Love's Dance With A Stranger.

Feedback : Yes

Disclaimer : Dr Ellie Harrison, Major James Reece, Lt Franks & Heather Russell are mine. Lyssa Hunter belongs to Kazavid. Stargate & Stargate Atlantis, unfortunately, have nothing to do with me.

**Summary : Find out how Sheppard and Lyssa's wedding plans cause chaos on Atlantis and what happens when tragedy strikes for Ellie and Lorne?**

**FIVE WEEKS LATER**

Ellie rested her head in her hands as Rodney began to moan, yet again, about Sheppard and Lyssa's wedding.

"I've decided to not even go to their stupid wedding. I'm going to go on a vacation…..take some personal time……I don't 'need' to be involved in the stupid thing", he said and Ellie nodded and slid from her stool.

"Where are you going? I haven't finished talking here", Rodney said indignantly and Ellie looked at him.

"I'm going to the bar", she said and Rodney stared at her.

"But it's the middle of the afternoon", he said and Ellie shrugged.

"So what? Why don't you join me?".

Rodney thought about it for a moment then said,

"Okay. I suppose we should have a little break from these tests, but we need to finish them today".

Ellie nodded and they left the lab.

Two hours later and they were still sat in the bar, giggling helplessly as Rodney tried to do an impression of Zelenka.

Shortly after, Teyla and Ronon entered to find them still laughing and when they didn't have much luck persuading the two Doctors to leave they found themselves getting drinks and joining them.

By the time Sheppard and Franks walked in an hour or so later they were all quite drunk, Ronon singing something about dancing Wraiths and Sheppard eyed him with some concern.

"What the hell…..?", he said and Ellie waved at him.

"Why don't you…..uh……….", she went to stand but her legs wouldn't co-operate and she sat back on her seat with a thump.

"Join us", Rodney finished for her and they clunked their drinks together and laughed.

"Hell we've got some catching up to do here", Sheppard whispered to Franks who nodded and headed to the bar.

"I'll get the beers Sir", he said.

Sheppard glanced back at his group of friends and frowned.

"Forget beer, bring something stronger", he shouted and Franks stuck a thumb up in agreement.

As Franks plonked a bottle of whiskey down on the table, Sheppard looked around.

"So….what's going on guys?"

"I'm depresshhed", Ellie announced, slurring her words and Sheppard raised an eyebrow as Rodney flung an arm around her shoulders.

"She misses Major……thingy….what's his name…..", he said and Ellie turned and batted Rodney's arm away.

"Lorne…..his name is Lorne……my Lorne…..not Heather's…..mine", and she stood and twirled around, holding her drink out above Franks' head and he ducked and then knocked back a shot of whiskey.

"I mish him", Ellie wailed and sat back down as Teyla refilled her glass.

"Have another…..it will undoubtedly make you feel butter…..I mean better", Teyla said, hiccupping and it was Sheppard's turn to knock a shot back as he realised how unreal the situation seemed because he was sober.

He needed to get to their level and quickly.

Some time later that evening, Lyssa entered the bar to find them all lying around on the floor or propped up against chairs and she frowned as she realised they were all drunk.

"What the hell are you all doing?", she asked, concerned as they all looked up at her blankly.

"Hey honey", Sheppard said sweetly, managing to crawl onto all fours then collapsing as Ellie pushed past him.

"Lyssie……I mish Evan…………what am I gonna do?", she cried, tears filling her eyes as she reached for Lyssa but missed and landed back on the floor next to Sheppard with a dull thud.

Lyssa watched as Ellie groaned and rolled onto her back and stared up at the ceiling.

"I'll ask again, what the hell are you doing?", Lyssa asked, her hands going to her hips and Sheppard grinned at her.

"Damn but you look sexy when you're angry", he said grasping hold of one of her slim legs and curling himself around it.

She tried to shake him off but he was glued to her and she eventually sat on the floor as Ronon pressed a drink into her hand.

"Drisnk this……..ish good stuff", he said seriously and Lyssa glared at him as Ellie rolled onto her side.

"He made love to me then he left. How could he do that? I want him baaaaccckkkkk!!", she wailed and Rodney sighed loudly.

"No-one ever makes love to me then leaves", he said wistfully and Sheppard snorted derisively and laughed.

"No-one makes love to you full stop", he said but Rodney smirked at him.

"That's what you think Sheshppard", he said and Sheppard and Ronon exchanged a glance, their interest piqued.

"Go on then…..tell us who it is….whose the lucky lady??", Ronon said but as Rodney shook his head Ellie sat up and waved her hands at them.

"Scuse me but we're all drunk here cause I need to find Evan", she said and they all looked at her.

"You can't find him because he went back to earth", Lyssa said rationally and Ellie turned to look at her.

"Oh…..yeah….", she acknowledged before flopping back onto the floor.

Lyssa sighed and looked at the drink in her hand before closing her eyes and knocking the brown liquid back.

She coughed and spluttered for a moment and Sheppard rubbed her back.

"Thashts my girl", he slurred proudly, pouring her another.

After a few more drinks they all came to the conclusion that they all should return to earth to get Lorne and bring him back to Atlantis and they agreed to meet in the briefing room the next morning so that they could convince Weir to let them all go.

**OOoOO**

Weir looked at her staff disdainfully as they all sat around the briefing room table with varying degrees of hangover symptoms and she tried to hide the smirk that refused to go away.

"So you seriously want me to authorise a trip to earth for all of you just so that you can bring Major Lorne back here?", she said, her eyes going to Ellie who had her head in her hands.

"I think I'm still drunk", Rodney muttered as Ronon seemed to slump lower in his seat beside him.

"It was just a thought", Sheppard said, wincing as the sound of his own voice caused his head to throb painfully.

"You know I can't allow you all to go", Weir said as Franks' head hit the table with a thump, causing them all to look in his general direction before turning back to Weir.

"How about just a couple of us then…..me being one of the said couple of course?", Ellie asked, squinting up at Weir wishing she'd move away from the light that was right behind her as it was killing her eyes.

"Well……I could probably swing that, yes", Weir replied and they all looked at one another.

"So……who wants to come to earth with me?", Ellie asked sounding more enthusiastic than she felt due to her huge hangover.

Weir groaned as a huge debate ensued and she decided to leave them to thrash it out between themselves.

After much discussion it was decided that Lyssa should go with Ellie as she could buy a wedding dress whilst she was there and Ellie needed someone she could rely upon as a shoulder to cry on should things not go to plan with Lorne.

**OOoOO**

The three weeks until the Daedalus was ready to return to earth had been the slowest of Ellie's life but finally she stood in the gate room with Lyssa, waiting to be beamed aboard.

She hugged Hope to her, squeezing her daughter tightly before handing her back to Ronon who said,

"I hope things work out for you".

"Thanks", Ellie replied, touching his arm, "I'll see you both soon", and he nodded.

Sheppard pulled Lyssa against his side as she touched Conner's face gently as he lay in the crook of Sheppard's other arm.

"You're sure you want to do this?", he asked, his lips nuzzling her ear and she sighed.

"I'm not certain about being away from you two for so long, no. But Ellie needs me and I need a wedding dress, apparently", she replied, throwing Rodney a strange look. He had been the one to suggest the shopping trip after all.

"We'll miss you", Sheppard said, his mouth meeting hers and Lyssa pressed herself against him.

"I'll miss you too. You be careful whilst I'm away…….I want to have a husband-to-be to come back to".

"And you be careful on earth…..stick with Ellie", Sheppard said, pulling her even closer and she smiled.

"It'll be interesting to see where you come from. It's just a pity you can't be there too", she said and Sheppard looked at her.

"There'll be other times", he said and she nodded.

**oo**

Rodney approached Ellie and pressed a piece of paper into her hands.

"I need you to get these things for me and bring them back here without Lyssa seeing them", he said quietly and Ellie frowned as she glanced at the writing on the paper.

Suddenly understanding dawned upon her face and she threw her arms around him.

"Oh Rodney that's so sweet", she said and Rodney cleared his throat and patted her back uncomfortably.

"Yes, well, safe journey and all that", he said, moving away and Ellie smiled, putting the paper into her pocket as Lyssa and Sheppard approached her.

As Lyssa held her son and kissed him goodbye, Sheppard held out his credit card and cheque book to Ellie who grinned at him.

"Make sure Lyssa gets whatever she wants……within reason", he said, lowering his voice toward the end and Ellie laughed as Lyssa glared at him.

"I told you, I don't need you to buy things for me", she said and Sheppard sighed.

"You'll learn that on earth everything has to be bought……and a wedding dress isn't going to just fly out of the store and give itself to you".

Lyssa grimaced at him as he pulled her close again.

"Oh, Ellie, bring me back some new DVD's and some other nice…….stuff, oh and don't forget Lorne. And you", he said to Lyssa, "Remember, stick with Ellie", he said and she nodded as she gave him one last kiss goodbye.

End of Chapter 7


	8. Chapter 8

Date : 22.08.2007

Title : Loves' Past and Present

Author : ElaineDex

Chapter : 8 of ?

Rating : M

Pairings : Lt. Col. John Sheppard/Lyssa Hunter

Major Evan Lorne/Dr Ellie Harrison

Warnings : Angst/hurt.

Spoilers : This story is part of a series and follows on from Love's Dance With A Stranger.

Feedback : Yes

Disclaimer : Dr Ellie Harrison, Major James Reece, Lt Franks & Heather Russell are mine. Lyssa Hunter belongs to Kazavid. Stargate & Stargate Atlantis, unfortunately, have nothing to do with me.

**Summary : Find out how Sheppard and Lyssa's wedding plans cause chaos on Atlantis and what happens when tragedy strikes for Ellie and Lorne?**

Lorne had been back on earth now for nearly eleven weeks and he had thought about Ellie every day of each of those weeks.

He wondered how she was, whether she missed him, if she thought about the baby they had lost or if she remembered that last night they'd spent together in as much detail as he did. She had hurt him pretty badly when she'd refused to speak to him in the weeks following her miscarriage.

He understood that people dealt with grief in different ways but he had lost something too but she had acted as though she had been the only one.

Colonel Edwards had recovered quickly and Lorne had taken the opportunity to take a few weeks leave. He was staying at his mom's house and kept avoiding Heather's calls as much as he could but she wouldn't leave him alone.

"Why don't you give her another chance?", his mom asked as she hung up the phone after telling Heather for the second time that day that her son wasn't at home.

"Mom, I know you liked Heather but you have no idea what went on between us", Lorne said as he turned back to the easel which held the painting he'd been working on over the last few days.

Lorne's mom sighed and said,

"Who is she?", and she indicated to the woman Lorne was painting.

"Her name is Ellie", Lorne replied and his mom frowned.

"I didn't ask her name, I asked who she was".

Lorne really didn't want to discuss Ellie with his mother right now and was grateful when the door bell chimed and she bustled off to answer it.

**OOoOO**

Lyssa watched as Ellie paced the bridge of the Daedalus as they waited to be beamed down to the SGC.

"Am I doing the right thing?", Ellie asked, glancing nervously at Lyssa who smiled.

"Isn't it a bit late to be thinking like that?".

"I don't know. What if he has married Heather? What if I'm going to make a total idiot of myself?", Ellie said, a worried expression etched across her features.

"Well, if he has married Heather he's an idiot and you deserve better", Lyssa said, trying to be supportive but Ellie just continued to pace.

"I treated him badly Lyssa. What if he hates me?" she asked and Lyssa frowned.

"Hate's a very strong word Ellie….I doubt that's the way Lorne feels about you".

Ellie sighed and hoped that her friend was right.

She knew she had been hard on Evan but she hadn't know what to say to him, she had been too consumed by her own grief and guilt to ask how he had been feeling.

And then there was all the things Heather had been saying. What if they were all true?

Eventually they were allowed to beam down and Lyssa looked around the SGC's gate room, her eyes taking in her surroundings with interest. She was looking forward to finding out more about Sheppard's home-world.

She followed Ellie down the gate ramp toward a grey-haired man who appeared to be in charge and watched as he kissed Ellie's cheek.

"Good to see you Dr Harrison", he said and Ellie smiled, albeit a little distractedly as she turned to Lyssa.

"General Landry, this is Lyssa Hunter, Lt. Colonel Sheppard's fiancée".

"Pleased to meet you", Landry said, taking Lyssa's hand and she nodded.

"Likewise".

"You know you'll both have to get checked out in the infirmary before you can leave?", Landry said and Ellie nodded.

"It's just a precaution", she said to Lyssa who nodded, then watched as three men and a blonde haired woman entered the gate room.

"Hey shorty", Mitchell said affectionately as he grasped Ellie in a bear hug, his eyes clashing with Lyssa's over her head.

"Hey Cam", Ellie replied, moving away from him and onto Daniel, Sam and Teal'c who all hugged her in turn.

"And you must be Lyssa", Mitchell said taking Lyssa's hand, his blue eyes sparkling at her and Lyssa actually found herself blushing as Ellie introduced her to SG-1.

As they left the gate room and headed for the infirmary, Ellie held back slightly and said to Landry.

"Is Major Lorne here in the base?".

Landry looked at her and shook his head.

"Ah, no, the Major is on leave at the moment".

He watched as Ellie's face fell and she said,

"Do you have any idea where he is?".

Landry sighed, "As far as I know he wasn't going anywhere specific".

Ellie frowned as she pushed, "I don't suppose you know where he's staying do you?".

Landry shook his head.

"You know I can't divulge that information Doctor……..but if you were to ask

Dr. Jackson to hack into our computer systems' personnel files I'm sure you'd find out fairly handily", and he winked at her as he turned into his office and she smiled as his door shut behind him.

Ellie was checked out by Dr Lamb first and as she moved onto Lyssa, Ellie said,

"Will you be ok here just whilst I go and find out where Evan is staying?".

"Sure….I guess", Lyssa replied as Dr Lamb smiled at her.

"Do not leave this room", Ellie instructed and Lyssa nodded as she left.

**oo**

Fifteen minutes later, Daniel handed Ellie a piece of paper with Lorne's mom's address on it and she smiled at him gratefully.

She was just about to thank him when a familiar voice sounded in the corridor outside and Daniel watched, his eyebrows raised, as Ellie dove under his desk just before Heather entered his office.

"Dr Jackson", Heather greeted him and Daniel forced himself to look away from his desk where Ellie was frantically gesticulating to him and toward Heather.

"Yes…..", he replied and Heather frowned at him, thinking he looked a little distracted.

"I heard that some people have arrived from Atlantis", she said and Daniel removed his glasses nervously.

"Really? I'm not sure…..I've been a little busy here….", he said indicating to his computer and Heather nodded.

"I heard Lyssa Hunter was on board the Daedalus and I wondered if you'd heard if Dr Harrison was with her. I heard you two were friends?"

Daniel shook his head. "Ah…no, no I haven't heard a thing. I'm sure Ellie would have stopped by if she'd have been here".

"Alright then, thank you", Heather said and she left his office leaving Daniel looking at Ellie with a bemused expression on his face.

"She can't know I'm here. I mean, I need to get to Evan before she finds out at least", Ellie said as she clambered out from under his desk.

And so, after recruiting Teal'c and Mitchell's help they devised a military plan to get Ellie back to the infirmary without her running into Heather.

"Now all we have to do is get you out of the mountain", Mitchell said and Lyssa stared at him.

"Mountain?", she queried and he nodded.

"This base is built inside of a huge mountain".

Lyssa's eyes widened and Ellie touched her arm.

"I'll give you a guided tour I promise, but we need to go to Evan's mom's house first", she said, her voice sounding desperate and Lyssa nodded.

"I'll give you a ride over there if you like, I'm just done here", Mitchell said and Daniel and Teal'c exchanged a look that said,

'Uh-oh' as they realised Mitchell had taken a shine to their visitor.

As Ellie and Lyssa got their bags together, Daniel moved to stand by Mitchell.

"You do know that Lyssa is engaged to Sheppard right?", he said and Mitchell nodded as he admired Lyssa's behind as she bent to retrieve her back pack from the floor.

"Uh-huh", he said and Daniel rolled his eyes and said to Ellie,

"Good luck with Major Lorne. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you".

"Thanks", Ellie said as she followed Mitchell and Lyssa from the infirmary.

**OOoOO**

Rachel Lorne sighed as she watched her brother drive away from their mother's house and she turned to see their mom examining the painting of the woman called Ellie in great detail.

"He wouldn't tell me who she was", she said and Rachel folded her arms.

Evan had told her everything that had gone on between himself and Ellie but had made her promise not to tell their mother.

"Evan needs some privacy mom", she said, then added, "You don't need to know every detail of his life".

"I don't know anything about him since he and Heather split up. I don't know where he's based, what it is he does, where he lives when he's away…", their mother trailed off and Rachel sighed again.

"That's the military for you. You should be used to that with how dad's life was".

"Don't bring your father into this", her mother said haughtily and Rachel groaned and moved to the kitchen.

"Let me get us some coffee", she said.

**ooo**

Mitchell pulled up outside of a medium sized house that was immaculately kept and Ellie gulped nervously.

"Go get him", Mitchell said enthusiastically and Elle tried to smile but failed miserably as she looked at Lyssa.

"Good luck", Lyssa said and Ellie took a deep breath as she got out of Mitchell's truck.

"We'll wait here", Mitchell called after her and she nodded as she walked gingerly up the path.

Taking another deep, calming breath she rang the doorbell and waited.

The second the smart-looking older woman opened the door and stared at her, Ellie wished she had taken the time to change her clothes and freshen up before she'd left the base.

"Is Evan at home please?", she asked timidly, feeling like a high school kid again who was calling for her boyfriend.

It took an age for Evan's mom to reply. She had recognised Ellie immediately from Evan's painting and she was momentarily stunned to discover that his mystery woman was stood on her doorstep.

"No, he's not. I'm sorry", she replied and then closed the door in Ellie's face.

Mitchell and Lyssa exchanged a look and Mitchell shrugged as Ellie looked back toward the truck in disbelief.

Ellie was just about to turn and walk away when the door was flung open again and a younger woman stood before her, her face apologetic.

"I am so sorry about my mother……she has terrible manners. Please, come inside", Rachel said and Ellie glanced back toward the truck as she was lead into the house.

"Now we wait", Mitchell said and Lyssa sighed.

She glanced around at the houses along the street and marvelled at how nice everything seemed.

"This is all very pretty", she commented and Mitchell glanced at her.

"Wait until you see the city. I take it Shorty is going to take you into the city?", he asked and Lyssa shrugged.

"I don't know. Is that where the wedding dress stores are?".

"Amongst other things", he replied.

They sat in silence for a moment or two, Lyssa listening to the strange music coming from the console at the front of Mitchell's transportation.

Eventually she said,

"So, you know John then?".

"Sheppard?", Mitchell asked and Lyssa nodded.

"I know him through military circles. I've met him once or twice, but he's not a friend as such. He's a great pilot though", Mitchell said and Lyssa smiled as she thought of John.

"Yeah, he is".

"You two been engaged long?", Mitchell asked and Lyssa's smile widened.

"Quite a few months now", she replied and Mitchell nodded.

"Do you think Ellie will be long?", he said and Lyssa shrugged.

"Possibly".

"Great", Mitchell said, shifting in his seat to get more comfortable.

"Get comfy. This could be a long evening".

End of Chapter 8


	9. Chapter 9

Date : 24.08.2007

Title : Loves' Past and Present

Author : ElaineDex

Chapter : 9 of ?

Rating : M

Pairings : Lt. Col. John Sheppard/Lyssa Hunter

Major Evan Lorne/Dr Ellie Harrison

Warnings : Angst/hurt.

Spoilers : This story is part of a series and follows on from Love's Dance With A Stranger.

Feedback : Yes

Disclaimer : Dr Ellie Harrison, Major James Reece, Lt Franks & Heather Russell are mine. Lyssa Hunter belongs to Kazavid. Stargate & Stargate Atlantis, unfortunately, have nothing to do with me.

**Summary : Find out how Sheppard and Lyssa's wedding plans cause chaos on Atlantis and what happens when tragedy strikes for Ellie and Lorne?**

Ellie glanced around almost nervously as Lorne's sister lead her into the lounge of her mother's home, her eyes falling on the painting that stood to one side and her jaw dropped open as tears misted her eyes.

Rachel watched Ellie's reaction with interest and then sighed as her mother bustled in and said,

"So 'you' are Ellie".

Ellie cleared her throat and replied,

"Yes. I take it Evan has mentioned me then?"

"No. I know absolutely nothing about you, he refused to answer my questions", his mother said and Rachel muttered under her breath and took Ellie's arm.

"Mom, would you excuse us", she said, leading Ellie into the kitchen.

"You'll have to forgive mom, she can be a little abrupt. I'm Rachel by the way", Rachel said, offering Ellie some coffee but she declined.

Rachel lowered her voice as she continued,

"Evan told me everything and I'm so sorry about the baby….from what he tells me he was so looking forward to being a father".

Ellie nodded, tears filling her eyes again and she swiped at them angrily, not wanting to make a fool of herself in front of Evan's sister.

"Oh honey, don't cry", Rachel said kindly and Ellie sniffed as she tried to stop herself sobbing.

"You look so much like Evan", she said and Rachel smiled.

"Everyone says that. There's only a year between us, he's the elder of course".

Ellie forced a smile, wondering how she could find out where Lorne was.

"I was hoping to see Evan", she ventured, "Do you know where I can find him?".

Rachel eyed Ellie for a moment or two as though weighing her up and Ellie almost couldn't stand the tension.

"I love him very much…..that's why I'm here", she offered and Rachel sighed.

"Mom wants Evan to try again with Heather…..you do know about Heather don't you?", she asked and Ellie nodded.

"Oh yeah…..I know all about Heather. The last time I saw her she made it perfectly clear to me how she saw her future panning out with Evan, how your mom had always wanted them to have kids…", Ellie's voice broke as she said the final words and Rachel reached out and touched Ellie's arm.

"Evan doesn't want to be with Heather", Rachel said and Ellie looked at her hopefully.

"What does he want?", she asked and Rachel smiled.

"You'd have to ask him that yourself", she said.

"Will you tell me where he is?", Ellie asked and Rachel reached for her purse.

"I'll do better than that, I'll take you to him".

They left the house after Rachel said a hasty goodbye to her mother without explaining what was going on and Ellie headed over to Mitchell's truck.

"Evan's sister is going to take me to see him. Cam would you mind staying with Lyssa for me for a while?", she asked and Mitchell shook his head.

"No problem", he said and Ellie turned to Lyssa.

"Is that okay with you?", she said and Lyssa smiled.

"Sure…..good luck".

"Thanks", Ellie replied as Lyssa squeezed her arm.

"I'll take Lyssa for something to eat and then we'll head back to my place to wait for you", Mitchell said and Ellie nodded.

"Okay, I'll see you later then", she said heading back toward Rachel who had gotten into her car and was waiting for her.

"Thank you for doing this", Ellie said as she got into the passenger side and as Rachel reversed off her mom's driveway she said,

"I just want Evan to be happy and if you're what makes that happen then I'm happy to take you to him".

**oo**

They drove for a while, the sun setting as Rachel took Ellie to Evan's favourite retreat.

By the time they reached the lake with the picturesque dock it was twilight and Ellie glanced around at the beautiful scenery.

"I had no idea this place was here", she said and Rachel smiled.

"You'll find Evan at the end of the dock, his car is over there so he is still here", she advised and Ellie took a shaky breath as she opened the door to get out.

"Thanks again", she said and Rachel nodded.

"I'll see you again then…….hopefully", she said and Ellie laughed nervously.

"Hopefully, yeah".

As Rachel drove away, Ellie hovered at the entrance to the long wooden dock which stretched out over the lake.

It had small lights built into the sides, lighting the way to a wooden gazebo and Ellie's breath caught as she saw Lorne stood with his back to her, leaning on the railing as he looked out over the peaceful water.

Slowly and as quietly as possible she made her way toward him, stopping when she was stood just behind him.

She wanted to reach out and touch him so badly but she was scared at how he would react. Would he be glad to see her or would he tell her that it was definitely over between them?

Lorne knew that someone was standing behind him but he didn't dare to hope that it would be the one person that he wanted to see the most.

Slowly he turned, his chest tightening as he saw Ellie, her eyes huge with worry as she looked at him.

"Evan", she said his name quietly as he continued to merely stare at her.

Lorne wanted to say something but his voice appeared to have deserted him.

The silence between them screamed and Ellie twisted her hands together nervously.

'_Say something'_, she told herself, _'and remember to breathe'. _

Yes, breathing would be useful.

She sucked in some much needed air and was about to speak when Lorne closed the gap between them and took her in his arms, his mouth closing over hers in a kiss filled with need and longing.

Eventually their mouths broke apart but Lorne continued to hold her and press kisses to her face and neck as he asked,

"What are you doing here?"

Ellie forced a smile as she tried to joke,

"Well…..you can't make love to me like you did, then leave and not expect me to follow you across the galaxy for more…"

Lorne smiled and Ellie relaxed a smidgen until he said,

"I left because I thought you didn't want me…..that we were over".

They moved apart slightly, but were still touching as Ellie replied,

"I………I treated you so badly Evan and I'm so sorry. I can't even begin to explain to you why I acted like I did. I should never have pushed you away".

"That last night…..you said you didn't want to get pregnant again. Did you mean with me or with anyone?" Lorne asked and Ellie took his face in her hands as she realised with a jolt how her words must have sounded to him.

"Oh Evan…..I just meant that I was scared to get pregnant again so soon after losing the baby, I didn't mean I didn't want to try for any more babies with you".

Lorne pulled her close again, his arms encircling her waist tightly and she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"I have missed you so badly. I couldn't wait to get here, but I thought you might have married Heather already", she said, frowning as Lorne pulled back slightly so that he could look at her.

"Married Heather? What would make you think that?", he asked and Ellie went to look away but Lorne caught her chin with his hand and turned her face back so that she had to look at him.

"It doesn't matter", she said but Lorne nodded.

"Yes it does…..tell me why you would think I would marry Heather", he pushed and Ellie sighed shakily.

"Heather said to me that when you and she got back here that you would probably get married and have kids. That you're mom had always wanted you and her to have a family…….", she trailed off as the thought almost became too painful for her to bear and Lorne cursed and crushed her to him again.

"Heather made that up Ellie. I've hardly seen her since we've been home and when I have it's been in the corridors in the SGC. Sure, she calls me all the time but I don't take them, I've been making my mom tell her I'm out", he said and Ellie laughed with relief as she hugged him back.

"Not long after I'd had the miscarriage, Heather told me that she had every intention of getting you back and that someone as insignificant as me wasn't going to stop her", she told him, stopping short of mentioning the subject of marriage and the fact that she still wondered why he had never asked her to be his wife.

"Why didn't you tell me?", Lorne said, pulling back and cupping her face in his hands.

"I don't know. I should never have stopped talking to you Evan…..it was the worst mistake I have ever made", she replied, tears misting her eyes as Lorne kissed the tip of her nose.

Experiencing an overwhelming wave of tenderness, Lorne stroked the curve of her soft cheek with his forefinger.

The hunger he had always felt for her was still there but he held it in check.

"So you followed me across space because of the great sex?", he asked, his voice teasing and Ellie blushed.

"No! Of course not!", she said indignantly, then cocked her head to one side as she looked him up and down playfully,

"Although if that's all that's on offer…I'll take it", she said and Lorne laughed before growing serious once more.

"That's not all that's on offer", he said and Ellie frowned as he moved away from her slightly and took her hands in his.

"Evan……?", she questioned as he suddenly dropped down onto one knee and Ellie thought her heart would burst with joy as he said,

"Marry me?"

**OOoOO**

Lyssa looked at the diner that Mitchell pulled up in front of and said,

"What is this place?".

She watched with interest as a woman and two children exited the building laughing and joking.

"It's where we can get something to eat", Mitchell replied opening the door to his truck and getting out.

Lyssa did likewise and glanced around the parking lot.

Everything seemed so busy here compared to the street that Lorne's mother lived on.

Mitchell took in her worried expression and said,

"Come on, you'll be fine. You'll love it".

Lyssa nodded and they headed inside.

They slipped into an empty window booth and Mitchell immediately picked up a menu as did Lyssa.

"What'll you have?", he asked after a short while and Lyssa shrugged.

"You look like a burger and fries kinda girl", Mitchell said and Lyssa regarded him.

"John says he likes that when he's here….so, ok, I'll try that", she said and Mitchell grinned at the petite blonde waitress that suddenly appeared at their table.

"We'll have the house burgers and fries, fully loaded please", he said and the waitress scribbled on her note pad.

"Any drinks with those?", she drawled and Mitchell glanced at Lyssa who looked back at him.

"Nothing……what's that stuff that makes you go funny", she said and Mitchell smirked as the waitress gave her a funny look.

"You mean alcohol sweetie?", she asked and Lyssa nodded.

"Yes, that's it….alcohol".

The waitress looked back at Mitchell strangely and he said,

"We'll have two coffee's please".

As she bustled away he turned to Lyssa.

"You don't like alcohol?".

"It's alright, it's just that Ellie was in the bar a while back and…….", she paused as Mitchell said incredulously,

"Wait. You have a bar on Atlantis?".

"Well, yeah", Lyssa replied and Mitchell muttered,

"Well I'll be damned……..anyhow, sorry, carry on".

"Well, we all kind of got a little…….intoxicated and I felt really bad afterwards", Lyssa said and Mitchell nodded.

"Hmmm…..I remember some bad hangovers", he mused and Lyssa smiled.

Whilst they waited for their food to arrive they chatted about the diner and various foods, both careful not to make it obvious that Lyssa was not from around that part of town so to speak and finally when their order did arrive, Lyssa sat staring at the huge burger and mountain of fries for quite some time.

"Are you actually going to eat that?", Mitchell asked, his mouth full and Lyssa nodded.

"Yeah…..I just don't know where to start".

"Try a few of the fries", Mitchell advised so Lyssa did. And once she started she couldn't stop.

Mitchell watched with an amused expression upon his face as she wolfed down every last one and then moved on to her burger eagerly.

"It's nice huh?", he asked and she could only nod in agreement.

"You know I like a woman with a good appetite", Mitchell said and Lyssa glared at him which just made him laugh all the more.

Eventually, Lyssa began to laugh too and Mitchell handed her the dessert menu.

"Pudding?", he asked and her smile widened as her eyes feasted upon the pictures of the various delights that the diner had to offer.

End of Chapter 9


	10. Chapter 10

Date : 27.08.2007

Title : Loves' Past and Present

Author : ElaineDex

Chapter : 10 of ?

Rating : M

Pairings : Lt. Col. John Sheppard/Lyssa Hunter

Major Evan Lorne/Dr Ellie Harrison

Warnings : Angst/hurt.

Spoilers : This story is part of a series and follows on from Love's Dance With A Stranger.

Feedback : Yes

Disclaimer : Dr Ellie Harrison, Major James Reece, Lt Franks & Heather Russell are mine. Lyssa Hunter belongs to Kazavid. Stargate & Stargate Atlantis, unfortunately, have nothing to do with me.

**Summary : Find out how Sheppard and Lyssa's wedding plans cause chaos on Atlantis and what happens when tragedy strikes for Ellie and Lorne?**

Ellie looked down at Lorne as he smiled up at her and she felt like the luckiest woman alive as she answered his question.

"Yes! Yes, I'll marry you".

Lorne immediately jumped up and wrapped his arms around her waist, lifting her off the floor as he swung her around, both of them laughing like a pair of kids as they kissed.

"I love you so much", Ellie said as she clung to Lorne and he smiled as he pressed closer to her.

"And I love you and from this moment on we are never going to be apart", he promised and Ellie practically melted at his words.

She giggled and sighed.

"Well, that sounds wonderful but you know Atlantis and there are times when we'll have to spend a little time apart".

Lorne pulled back from her slightly and frowned.

"Atlantis. Jeez, Ellie I almost forgot, I don't even know if I can go back there. My position will have been taken……..", he trailed off as Ellie shook her head.

"Sheppard made Dr Weir promise to keep it open for you for a certain length of time. Major Reece went off-world with us whenever we needed to go so you can still be SGA-2's team leader….if you want to be that is?".

Lorne smiled and pulled her to him again.

He was amazed at how life could change in such a short space of time. He had been thinking about Ellie and now, here she was in his arms and she'd agreed to be his wife.

"How and when did you get here? Where are you staying?", he asked and Ellie smiled.

"We arrived about two hours ago and Daniel found your mom's address for me. Mitchell drove me over there and Rachel brought me here. As for where we're staying…..I have no idea. My bags are in Cameron's truck", she replied and Lorne regarded her.

"You said 'we'? Who else came home?".

Ellie clamped a hand over her mouth as she remembered,

"Lyssa! Oh my god Evan…..she's been alone with Cam now for a while….."

"He knows she's engaged to Sheppard though right?", Lorne said and Ellie nodded.

"She'll be ok then……I'm sure", he said and Ellie sighed hoping Lorne was right. Cameron could be very charming when he wanted to be.

"So……you met Rachel…..and my mom?", Lorne asked and Ellie smiled.

"Your sister is great….."

"And my mom?"

"Um…….not so great…….she doesn't like me……", Ellie answered glumly and Lorne said warily,

"What did she say?"

"Nothing as such, Rachel didn't give her much of a chance to. It's just, with what Heather said and you never asking me to marry you until now…..I just got the impression that I wasn't really good enough….", Ellie trailed off as Lorne looked at her in a way that brought it home to her just how silly that assumption was.

"Come on. You're going to meet my mom properly. She has a right to know she's going to have a daughter-in-law very soon", Lorne said as he turned Ellie around to walk her back down the dock.

**OOoOO**

Lorne's sister had just arrived back at her mom's house when the doorbell chimed again and she watched as her mom went and answered it.

She groaned as she re-entered the lounge, Heather right behind her.

"Rachel", Heather said silkily and Rachel forced a smile.

"Heather", she returned the greeting.

"I can't seem to catch Evan in lately…….", Heather trailed off as her eyes rested on the portrait of Ellie and she struggled to continue, "Do you……er…..do you know where he is?"

"No", Rachel replied instantly but her mom said,

"Yes", at the same time and Heather looked from one to the other and Rachel groaned as her mother said,

"He's at the dock, but you'd better hurry as this", and she pointed to the painting, "Ellie person is there with him right now".

Heather nodded and raced to the door as quickly as her high heels would let her.

"Why did you do that?", Rachel asked and her mom shrugged.

"He has a right to choose which one he really wants and if seeing the two women together helps him do that then I'm all for it", she said and Rachel glared at her.

"You really think that Evan will choose Heather over Ellie?", she asked and her mom looked away.

"Time will tell".

**OOoOO**

"Your home is nice", Lyssa said as Mitchell showed her around his house.

"Thanks. I don't really know why I got something so big, me being on my own and all……..I think maybe it's because my family was huge and I guess I'm just used to a big house, full of people", he said and Lyssa nodded as she looked around.

"So….what do you want to do whilst we wait for Shorty?", he said, thinking of one very nice pass-time but knowing that it would be out of order to try anything like that with a fellow officer's girlfriend.

But darn, Lyssa was attractive.

She was wearing Atlantis issue combats with a black vest top, the combats fitting her bottom very nicely, the vest showing off the curves of her pert breasts to perfection.

Mitchell cleared his throat and Lyssa looked at him.

"Are you alright?", she asked and he nodded.

"Oh yeah, yeah. Um, do you want a soda?", he asked moving to the refrigerator and holding out a can to show her.

"It's not……?", she trailed off and he laughed.

"No, there's no alcohol in it".

"Then yes, I'll have one, thanks", Lyssa said, taking the can from him, their fingers brushing and she jumped away from him and moved into the lounge.

Mitchell was a very attractive man and she sensed he liked her but she was trying to ignore the fact.

She wondered how Ellie was getting on with Lorne and wished that she would hurry up and arrive.

Not that she wasn't enjoying Mitchell's company, she just didn't want to spend more time alone with him than was absolutely necessary.

**OOoOO**

As they reached Lorne's car, Ellie stopped and grabbed his hand.

"Wait!", she said and he turned to look at her.

"Are you okay?", he asked and Ellie sighed.

"I'm…….nervous", she admitted and Lorne smiled and pulled her to him.

"When I knocked on your mom's door earlier I felt like I was back in high school", Ellie told him and he laughed and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

She turned him around and backed him up against the hood of the car and Lorne grinned at her.

"Is this a delaying tactic?", he queried and Ellie nodded, pressing her mouth to his throat, her hands at his chest and Lorne groaned as she murmured,

"I've never made love in a car….."

At her words, Lorne reversed their positions and Ellie found herself pushed backwards, down onto the hood and desire shot through her as he buried his face in the curve of her neck, his hands at her hips.

"In a car or on one?", he muttered, pressing his arousal against her thigh and Ellie gasped,

"Neither".

"There has to be a first time for everything", Lorne said, his hands going to the buttons on her dress. He groaned loudly as the creamy tops of her breasts, straining against the lacy cups of her bra, were revealed to him.

"Do you have any idea what you're doing to me?", he asked and Ellie ran her hands up his muscular arms and then she began to fumble with the buttons on his shirt.

"Yes because you're doing the same thing to me", she replied, "Just thinking about you makes me ache deep inside", she added huskily and it was almost more than Lorne could bear to hear.

He dragged her up and against him and they moved to the side of the car. Lorne opened one of the back doors and Ellie slid onto the back seat where he followed her.

She lay down and he moved on top of her as best he could in the confined space.

Ellie giggled as she reached for the buckle and zipper on his jeans and Lorne banged his elbow as he manoeuvred her bottom half to remove her panties.

"If we'd have been in high school together….do you think we'd have made out like this?", Ellie asked and Lorne sucked in his breath sharply as her hands skimmed down his stomach and into his jeans

"Most definitely", he managed, covering her mouth with his.

He kissed her feverishly as she smoothed her fingers over his engorged length and Ellie felt him shudder with restraint.

She moaned into his mouth and bucked her lower body against him instinctively.

"Do you want to feel me inside of you?" Lorne asked, taking her lower lip between his teeth and tugging gently as she gasped and he moved to nuzzle the side of her neck, breathing in the warm, aroused scent of her skin.

"Can you imaging how it would feel?", he teased and Ellie groaned loudly and wrapped her arms around his shoulders in an effort to pull him closer.

Parting her legs, Lorne moved in between them and, running a hand along one thigh he curved her leg over his hip, pulling her body up hard against him so that she could feel how much he wanted her.

"You know if we do this now…..you could…..", Lorne began but Ellie pressed her fingers to his lips to stop him.

"I want you", she told him, "I need you…….", she trailed off, her head falling back and a moan stuck in her throat as she arched and clutched at his shoulders as he thrust into her.

Lorne stilled his movements for a moment as sensations threatened to overwhelm them both and Ellie shut her eyes tightly as she concentrated on the feel of being totally invaded by his hard body.

As he began to thrust once more Ellie whispered,

"Oh God, that feels sooooo good".

Lorne smiled in agreement.

"So….you are just after the fantastic sex", he said huskily in her ear and Ellie shook her head.

"You are not going to let me…….oh………live that one……..mmmm……..down, are you?", she asked in between groans and sighs and Lorne laughed and tugged at a nipple with his mouth.

"Never", he murmured.

When they were both more than satisfied they sat up as it was too uncomfortable to stay lying down and they began to straighten their clothes.

Ellie looked at Lorne as he struggled to pull his jeans back up and her heart did a flip-flop in her chest.

"I love you", Ellie she said impulsively, her hands pausing as she buttoned up her dress and Lorne stopped what he was doing to look at her.

He reached across and gripped her face in his hands.

"I love you too", he said, his mouth taking hers in a gently and loving kiss that made Ellie melt all over again.

They were just getting out of the car, laughing at how the windows had all steamed up when another car screeched to a halt at the side of them and Heather got out, her face clouding as it became obvious what they'd been doing.

"Evan….how could you?", she began and Ellie and Lorne exchanged a glance as she continued,

"Still….one final fling won't hurt I suppose. After all, that's all the likes of her is good for….a quickie in the back of a car…..", she trailed off as Ellie smacked her across the face.

Heather stared as Lorne wrapped his arms around Ellie's waist and pulled her back against him.

"I wouldn't speak to my wife-to-be like that Heather. She has been known to tackle female marines you know", he said and Ellie twisted to look up at him and she swatted his arm playfully.

"I was provoked that time", she said defensively and Lorne smiled.

"I know. Just like you were just now", he said and they both turned to look at Heather who had a hand pressed to the spot Ellie had just slapped.

"You're making a big mistake if you marry her Evan. Your mother will never accept her into the family", she said and Lorne shrugged.

"Ellie is my family and if my mom can't love her like I do then I guess she'll miss out on a lot of things….especially her grandchildren", he said and Heather made a strange whimpering noise as she turned and got back into her car.

"Bye Heather", Ellie called as the other woman slammed the car door shut and sped off.

Ellie turned to Lorne and hugged him.

"Thank you for that", she said and he hugged her back.

"For what?", he asked.

"For making her see how important I am to you", Ellie replied and Lorne sighed.

"You are the most important thing in my life and you have been for quite some time now".

"I'm just sorry it's taken me so long to realise that", Ellie said, then added, "I know you want me to go see your mom but I really should check on Lyssa".

"Okay, we'll head over to Mitchell's house first", Lorne replied and Ellie nodded.

She got into his car with an overwhelming sense of happiness and she grinned at Lorne as he got behind the wheel.

"What is it?", he asked, smiling at the fact that she was grinning so much.

"I'm going to be Mrs Lorne", she told him and he laughed as he started the engine.

"When does the Daedalus leave again for Atlantis?", he asked and Ellie said,

"Sunday".

"So we have seven days to find a priest to marry us", Lorne said as they left the dock and Ellie looked at him.

"What? Evan, we'll never…….", she began but he cut her off.

"We're getting married here on earth Ellie. I want our marriage to be legal and binding. I'm not saying that your wedding to Ronon wasn't lawful in his eyes but I want the real thing…..something that would be recognised here at home. I don't want the same Athosian man marrying us".

Ellie smiled at him, her heart beating faster as she realised how serious he was about it.

"That's fine by me", she said and Lorne sighed as though relieved.

"You're not giving me much time to get organised though", she added and Lorne smiled.

"Lyssa will help I'm sure and I'll do what I can".

"I'm supposed to be helping Lyssa choose a dress, not the other way around", Ellie said and Lorne shrugged.

"Now you can help each other".

End of Chapter 10


	11. Chapter 11

Date : 28.08.2007

Title : Loves' Past and Present

Author : ElaineDex

Chapter : 11 of ?

Rating : M

Pairings : Lt. Col. John Sheppard/Lyssa Hunter

Major Evan Lorne/Dr Ellie Harrison

Warnings : Angst/hurt.

Spoilers : This story is part of a series and follows on from Love's Dance With A Stranger.

Feedback : Yes

Disclaimer : Dr Ellie Harrison, Major James Reece, Lt Franks & Heather Russell are mine. Lyssa Hunter belongs to Kazavid. Stargate & Stargate Atlantis, unfortunately, have nothing to do with me.

**Summary : Find out how Sheppard and Lyssa's wedding plans cause chaos on Atlantis and what happens when tragedy strikes for Ellie and Lorne?**

Lyssa and Mitchell were watching a DVD when they heard a car pull onto his driveway.

Mitchell got up and looked out, Lyssa looking over expectantly at him.

"Hey, it's Shorty….and Lorne", he announced and Lyssa sighed in relief.

She was glad Ellie was finally here. Mitchell had been inching closer and closer to her on the sofa and she had been running out of room at the other end because she had moved across so many times.

Mitchell opened the door and Ellie and Lorne came inside.

"Hey guys", Lorne said as Ellie headed for Lyssa.

"It worked then?", Lyssa commented as Ellie flung her arms around her happily.

"Oh, yeah and not only that, he asked me to marry him too", Ellie squealed and Lorne and Mitchell exchanged a glance.

"Congratulations", Mitchell said, shaking Lorne's hand and Lorne practically beamed with happiness as he looked over at Ellie.

"Thanks", he said as he looked at Lyssa.

"Hi Lyssa. Good to see you".

"You too. It's great you and Ellie are back together, she's been driving me insane these last weeks", Lyssa replied and Ellie pinched Lyssa's arm and turned her away from a grinning Lorne.

"So….have you been alright?", Ellie asked of Lyssa who nodded and shoved her hands into her combats pockets.

"I think he likes me", she whispered and Ellie glanced at Mitchell as he lead Lorne into the kitchen.

"What's he done, I'll kill him?", Ellie asked and Lyssa shook her head.

"Nothing, he's been very nice…..it's just the impression I get…..you know the looks, the way they start to behave, you know what I mean?"

Ellie smiled knowingly.

"Yeah, I know what you mean", she replied frowning suddenly and Lyssa said,

"What's wrong?".

"Well, it's just that Evan wants me to go and meet his mom again properly tonight but that means leaving you again and I don't want to do that".

"I'll be okay….I guess", Lyssa replied but Ellie shook her head.

"No. We still haven't found anywhere to stay and I've left you alone too long already".

"She hasn't been alone, she's been with me….and you can both stay here", Mitchell said as he and Lorne exited the kitchen.

Ellie and Lyssa turned to find them both holding a bottle of beer each and Ellie looked at Lorne questioningly.

"I decided meeting mom could wait until tomorrow and Cam said I can stay the night so……..", Lorne trailed off as he took a swig of his beer and Ellie sighed in relief at her short reprieve from meeting 'mom' again.

"Great", Lyssa replied feeling somewhat relieved that Ellie and Lorne were not going to be leaving again and she began to relax a little more.

After Lorne made a quick call to his mom to inform her he wouldn't be returning that night, the four of them settled down in front of the TV.

As Lyssa watched Ellie curl up in Lorne's lap she realised just how much she was missing Sheppard and she looked away quickly as her heart banged painfully. She was determined to enjoy this trip to earth but she couldn't help missing the man she loved or her baby son.

**ooo**

The next morning Mitchell made everyone breakfast before heading off to the SGC.

Lorne was in the shower when Ellie turned to Lyssa as they cleared away the dishes.

"I have to go get this thing over with Evan's mom so what do you want to do? If you stay here you have to promise me you won't open the door to anyone and you can't leave the house, or, you can come with us and witness the catastrophic moment when Evan tells his mother he asked me to marry him".

Lyssa grimaced at the thought and said,

"I'll wait here and yes, I promise I won't open the door or leave the house. I'll just relax and watch some more…..TV".

"Okay. I'll try to be as quick as possible and then we'll go do some stuff alright?".

"Sure", Lyssa replied as Lorne entered the kitchen.

His hair was still damp and Lyssa hid a smile as she watched Ellie all but melt onto the kitchen floor at the sight of him.

Ellie had fallen hard for Lorne, that much was obvious for anyone to see and Lyssa just hoped that everything worked out for them this time.

If it didn't there was no way she was going to the bar area with Ellie again, that was for sure, not after the last time!

"I'll just change", Ellie said, heading for the stairs and Lorne nodded and headed toward Lyssa.

"So how's Sheppard?", he asked and it was Lyssa's turn to melt.

"He was okay, when I last saw him", she replied and Lorne nodded.

"I bet he asked for you to take him back lots of 'nice' stuff didn't he?", he asked smiling as Lyssa nodded.

"He gave Ellie his…..credit card and cheque book, I think they're called", she told him and Lorne raised his eyebrows.

"Really?", he asked, turning to face Ellie as she re-entered the kitchen.

"What's this about you having the Colonel's credit card?", Lorne asked her and Ellie smiled.

"Oh yeah, to get Lyssa's wedding dress and some other stuff", she replied and looked at him coyly as she bent to do up her strappy sandals.

"I think you should give me yours, especially now we're going to be married", she told him and Lorne folded his arms as Lyssa watched on.

"Oh really? So it isn't just the great sex you're after, it's my money too", he teased.

Ellie straightened and smiled sweetly at him. She glanced at Lyssa who held up her hands and shook her head as she headed for the couch and the TV.

"I don't want to know", she called over her shoulder.

**OOoOO**

It was only as Lorne and Ellie got into his car that he noticed she had pulled all her hair back and tied it with a ribbon that matched the pale blue conservative sundress and strappy sandals she wore and he frowned as she sat primly at his side.

"What are you doing?", he asked and she looked at him.

"I don't know what you mean", she replied cagily and Lorne sighed.

"Ellie, you don't have to try and be someone you're not just to please my mother".

"I'm not, I just………", she trailed off as Lorne pulled on the ribbon and her dark curls cascaded back down around her shoulders.

"That's better", he said, tossing the ribbon onto the back seat and Ellie smiled as he started the engine.

A while later Lorne opened the front door to his mom's house and ushered Ellie inside.

"Mom?", he called out from the hallway and she called back,

"In the kitchen".

Lorne and Ellie glanced at one another before heading toward the kitchen. They entered and Lorne's mom's face fell as she clapped eyes on Ellie.

"I see you made your decision then", she said and Lorne frowned.

"What decision?", he asked and his mother folded her arms.

"I sent Heather to you at the dock last night. When you rang and said you weren't coming home I had hoped that it was because you were with her, I see I was mistaken".

Ellie felt herself colour up as Lorne's mother regarded her as though she were some kind of scarlet woman and she went to shrink further behind him but Lorne stopped her and took her hand in his.

"Mom….last night I asked Ellie to marry me and she said yes".

Lorne's mom paled visibly and she shook her head.

"Evan have you really thought this through, I mean, Heather is perfect for you…….", she trailed off as Lorne glared at her.

"I love Ellie….I don't love Heather….haven't done for quite some time now…..", he said and his mom stepped forward, her eyes beseeching him as she said,

"But you and Heather would have such beautiful children".

The cold statement wrenched a gasp from Ellie and she pulled her hand from Lorne's and backed toward the door.

"I'm sorry…..I'll wait for you outside", she mumbled before fleeing and Lorne gave his mom a look that could kill as he said,

"The wedding will be this week because we're leaving again soon. I'll let Rachel know the day so that if you feel like turning up, apologising and getting to know Ellie you can do. I'll call by later to get my stuff, I'll be staying with Ellie from now on".

And with that he left and went outside to find Ellie leaning against his car, her arms folded defensively.

He tipped her chin up so that she looked at him as he said,

"I'm sorry about that, she seems obsessed with Heather".

"She doesn't know what Heather did does she", Ellie surmised and Lorne shook his head.

"No".

"I'm sorry it didn't go as you'd hoped. I don't want there to be bad feeling between you and your mom because of me", Ellie said and Lorne pressed a kiss to her forehead as he took in her worried expression.

"It's not your fault", he said then smiled at her as he took her left hand in his.

"There is something missing from this hand", he said and Ellie grinned at him as he raised her hand to his mouth and kissed her palm.

"Fancy using my credit card?", he asked and her smile widened.

As they got into the car to leave, Lorne's mother sighed deeply and turned away from the window.

**ooo**

An hour or so later they arrived back at Mitchell's house to find the kitchen in total chaos, Lyssa completely covered from head to toe in flour.

"Lyssa! What the hell are you trying to do?", Ellie asked, reluctant to go near her friend for fear of getting covered in the flour.

Lorne let out a choked laugh as Lyssa moved slightly only to find herself surrounded by clouds of flour dust and she stopped abruptly and looked at Ellie as though mortified.

"I was trying to make these……", and she held a muffin mixture packet out to Ellie gingerly who nodded as Lyssa continued, "But I don't think I did it right".

"Obviously not", Lorne smirked and both Ellie and Lyssa threw him a dirty look so he backed away into the lounge.

"Don't worry, we'll get this lot cleaned up and then we're off shopping. Look what Evan just bought me", Ellie said, holding out her left hand to show Lyssa her new, sparkling, white gold, diamond solitaire engagement ring and Lyssa nodded in approval.

"We got matching wedding bands too", Ellie said happily and Lyssa coughed as she swallowed more flour.

A while later Lorne dropped Ellie and Lyssa in the city and he headed off to try and find a priest with a spare day free to marry him and Ellie.

When Lyssa and Ellie entered the first bridal store, Lyssa stood in the centre in complete awe, gawping at all the beautiful gowns.

She had never considered herself to be a girly girl and she knew Sheppard liked it the odd time that she actually wore a dress, bit it just wasn't her.

That was until now.

Ellie laughed as Lyssa ran her hands over the satin skirts of some of the hanging gowns and she said,

"Pick out some to try on".

Lyssa had a hard time choosing but picked out a few slim fitting gowns in ivory satin, one particular one covered with a fine layer of lace was particularly striking and Ellie gasped as Lyssa emerged from the changing room, the assistant fussing behind her.

"Lyssa…you look so beautiful", she told her and Lyssa could only stare at her reflection.

"Do you think John will like it?", she asked and Ellie nodded.

"He'll love it".

"Then this is the one then", Lyssa said.

They chose some matching shoes and a bridesmaids dress in pale pink for Ellie and then Ellie paid and they left, arranging to pick the dresses up later.

"Now it's your turn", Lyssa said and Ellie nodded happily as they headed to the next boutique.

Ellie had always had her dream wedding dress in mind but she hadn't expected to find it so easily.

She emerged from the changing room wearing an ivory dress with a bodice that laced up at the back and which had layers of organza that made up the skirt and Lyssa smiled at how well the dress suited her.

"Perfect", she said and Ellie had to agree.

She bought a matching organza veil and some shoes and this time Lyssa got a pale blue bridesmaids dress.

As they headed back out onto the sidewalk they looked at one another.

"Well that was easier than I thought it would be", Lyssa said and Ellie laughed.

"Ready for the other shops?", she asked and Lyssa nodded.

"Bring 'em on", she said.

A fair few hours later they both collapsed into Lorne's car and they left him to put all their purchases into his trunk. They called at the wedding stores on their way back to Mitchell's and collected their gowns.

"My feet are killing me", Lyssa groaned and Ellie agreed.

"Well I managed to find a priest with a cancellation on Friday so that's the day", Lorne said and Ellie glanced at him.

"Where at?", she asked and he grinned at her.

"St Lukes".

"St Lukes", Ellie repeated incredulously and Lorne laughed as Lyssa said,

"What is St Lukes?".

"It's the biggest church around here that's what it is", Ellie informed her before turning back to Lorne. "Evan it's going to look so empty, we'll hardly have anyone there".

"We'll see", Lorne said cryptically and Ellie wondered what he was up to.

**OOoOO**

A few days later and Ellie had taken Lyssa on various tours of the city, doing all the sightseeing trips and had even taken her to see where Sheppard had lived before he'd left for Atlantis.

One afternoon Mitchell returned from the SGC to find Ellie, Lorne and Lyssa sitting out in his back yard, soaking up some sun.

"Hey guys", he called and they all waved at him lazily.

"I brought ice cream", he called, laughing as that caught their attention and they headed inside to join him.

He tried to keep his eyes off Lyssa but she looked so amazing in her newly purchased bikini top and shorts that he nearly missed the bowl he was scooping ice cream into and Lorne brought him back to reality as he said,

"Hey, watch it…".

"I am….", Mitchell replied, his answer having a double meaning.

They sat around the breakfast bar eating until impulsively, Ellie launched a small amount of ice cream off her spoon and it hit Lorne's cheek with a cold splat and she giggled as he glared at her.

"Right", he said, launching one back but it missed Ellie totally and landed right in the middle of Lyssa's chest making her yelp as the cold ice cream started to run down in between her breasts.

She retaliated by launching a scoop back just as Ellie launched one at Mitchell and before they knew it they were all covered in the sticky stuff.

When they eventually all clamed down and stopped laughing, Mitchell said,

"Well, that was…….interesting".

"I need a shower", Lorne said and Ellie raised her eyebrows at him and he grabbed her hand, dragging her toward the stairs.

When they'd disappeared Mitchell groaned,

"Oh no, they're so gonna be doing it in my shower".

Lyssa laughed and held her arms out, grimacing at how sticky they felt.

"Here, come out to the yard", Mitchell said and Lyssa watched him with interest as he freed a long hose type thing and then turned a tap on.

She squealed in shock as the cold water drowned her and Mitchell laughed as she tried to turn her back to him but that was even worse and she had no option but to fight her way to him through the jet and try to wrangle the hose from him.

Eventually she managed it and turned the spray on him, drowning him totally as she chased him around the yard.

"That'll teach you", she said triumphantly as she put the hose down and they stared at one another as they dripped all over the grass.

"Sheppard is one lucky man", Mitchell blurted suddenly and Lyssa's smile faded and she crossed her arms across her chest self-consciously, trying to hide the sodden bikini top and its contents from his gaze.

"I should go and dry off", she said leaving Mitchell to tip his face up to the sky and groan inwardly at his stupid comment.

End of Chapter 11


	12. Chapter 12

Date : 29.08.2007

Title : Loves' Past and Present

Author : ElaineDex

Chapter : 12 of ?

Rating : M

Pairings : Lt. Col. John Sheppard/Lyssa Hunter

Major Evan Lorne/Dr Ellie Harrison

Warnings : Angst/hurt.

Spoilers : This story is part of a series and follows on from Love's Dance With A Stranger.

Feedback : Yes

Disclaimer : Dr Ellie Harrison, Major James Reece, Lt Franks & Heather Russell are mine. Lyssa Hunter belongs to Kazavid. Stargate & Stargate Atlantis, unfortunately, have nothing to do with me.

**Summary : Find out how Sheppard and Lyssa's wedding plans cause chaos on Atlantis and what happens when tragedy strikes for Ellie and Lorne?**

Ellie and Lorne's wedding day dawned bright and sunny and Ellie turned over in bed to reach for Lorne only to find he wasn't there.

In his place was a single red rose, a note curled around the stem and she smiled as she reached out and picked it up.

The note read, 'I know it's unlucky for the groom to see the bride before the wedding so I'll see you at the church. I can't wait for you to become Mrs Lorne, I love you, Evan'.

Ellie sank back against her pillow and sighed happily. She held her left hand up and examined her engagement ring for the hundredth time since she'd gotten it and grinned inanely as she watched the stone glint in the sunlight.

When a knock sounded on the door Ellie sat up and called,

"Come in".

The door opened and Ellie smiled broadly as Mitchell entered holding a breakfast tray. He was closely followed by Daniel who was going to be giving Ellie away, Lyssa, Sam and Teal'c.

"Hi", Ellie said as they all settled onto the bed.

After that the wedding plans got into full swing.

Mitchell who was being Lorne's honorary best man in Sheppard's absence left to go meet Lorne, leaving the others to get the house ready for the after church party.

There was only about an hour to go before Ellie was due to leave for the church when Lyssa found her blowing up balloons on the back porch.

"Hey….go start getting ready. The balloons are Teal'c's responsibility", she said and Ellie nodded.

"Are you okay?", Lyssa asked thinking Ellie looked a little hesitant.

"Sure….I'm fine", Ellie replied, going to reach for another balloon but Lyssa stopped her.

"Okay….spill…..what's going on? Please tell me you're not having second thoughts?", she asked, her eyes wide but Ellie shook her head.

"No! Of course I'm not. I just wish Evan's mom liked me….that's all", she replied and Lyssa wrapped an arm around her friend's shoulders.

"Evan loves you…..that's all that matters. The rest will fall into place and if it doesn't, screw it!", she said and Ellie smiled.

"You sound just like John", she said and Lyssa laughed.

"He has a tendency to rub off on people".

Ellie nodded and they headed upstairs to get ready.

**OoOoO**

Lorne's mom picked up the phone and glanced behind her as Rachel headed for the kitchen.

"Well?", Heather's voice asked and Lorne's mom answered.

"It's this afternoon, 2.30 at St Lukes".

"Okay, thanks", Heather said cutting the connection and Lorne's mom also hung up.

As she turned away from the phone stand she gasped in fright to see Rachel glaring at her.

"Who was that?", she challenged and her mom glanced away guiltily and Rachel sighed deeply.

"It was Heather wasn't it", she said and her mom merely folded her arms defensively.

Rachel shook her head.

"Oh mom you just made a terrible mistake, Evan will never forgive you if Heather ruins the wedding".

"He shouldn't be marrying Ellie…she's totally wrong for him", her mom cried and Rachel placed her hands on her hips angrily.

"You know nothing about Ellie, how can you judge her so?".

"Heather is the one for Evan….always has been", her mom argued back and Rachel laughed.

"Yeah…she's so right for him that she went behind his back and slept with his best friend. Evan found them together that's why he broke their engagement off".

Her mom shook her head in denial but Rachel carried on.

Ellie and Evan have been through so much mom. They lost a baby a few months ago and they love one another very much……".

At the mention of a baby, her mom clapped a hand to her mouth and she realised what an awful mess she'd made of everything.

"Ellie had a miscarriage? I had no idea……", she said and Rachel sighed again.

"I'll ring Heather now….call her off", she said and Rachel laid a hand on her arm.

"It's probably too late for that now. Let's just get to the church and see if we can head her off there".

**OoOoO**

Lorne smiled as Rachel and his mom approached him, then frowned as his mom launched herself at him, throwing her arms around him.

"Oh Evan, you look so handsome", she said taking in his military dress uniform.

"I'm so sorry about the way I've acted, can you forgive me?", she asked and he patted her back, his eyes looking for an answer from Rachel who seemed to be too busy scanning the people who were gathered outside the church to look at him.

"I'm glad you've seen sense mom. Ellie means a lot to me but so do you", he said and his frown deepened as his mother began to sob into a handkerchief and Rachel had to guide her inside the church, giving her brother a quick 'I don't know what the hell is wrong with her either' kind of look to hopefully appease him.

Mitchell turned to Lorne as Lyssa arrived with Sam and Teal'c and he said,

"We should get inside, Ellie will be here with Daniel soon".

Lorne nodded and waved to Lyssa before heading inside with Mitchell.

"So what happens now?", Lyssa asked and Sam smiled at her.

"We go inside and you wait out here for Ellie", she replied and Lyssa nodded, the pale blue satin shoes that matched her dress pinching her feet already.

Lyssa had been alone for a about two minutes when she spotted something moving out of the corner of her eye and she turned just in time to see Heather darting behind a bush in the church yard.

Frowning, Lyssa headed along the path and confronted her.

"What are you doing here Heather?", she said and Heather laughed.

"I'm going to make sure that your little friend doesn't get to marry Evan today".

Lyssa shook her head and resting her small bouquet of flowers on a nearby headstone she drew her arm back and thumped Heather square in the jaw, knocking her into the bushes.

"I don't think so", she said scooping her flowers back up and heading back down the path just as Ellie and Daniel arrived.

**OoOoO**

Lorne almost forgot to breathe as the music that signalled Ellie's arrival began to play and he saw Mitchell turn to watch as Lyssa began to walk up the aisle toward them.

Finally he too turned and his heart stopped as he saw Ellie and Daniel move into position to start their procession toward him.

She was here…..and she looked so radiantly beautiful, her blue eyes sparkling as she smiled at him through the organza veil that covered her face.

Small ivory coloured baby roses were pinned into the curls of her hair which she wore down because she knew he liked it that way.

She walked toward him, not one shadow of doubt dimming the happiness that shone from her and it beamed right into his heart, kick-starting it.

As she drew level with him, Lorne held his hand out to her and she took it, the link between them unbreakable as the priest began the ceremony.

It all went off without a hitch and everyone applauded as Lorne was given permission to kiss his bride and as they turned to face one another he lifted the veil up and away from her face, his lips meeting hers in a hungry kiss that had everyone cheering.

After they'd signed the register they headed back down the aisle, Ellie gasping as she realised the church was really quite full and as she looked around she saw various friends of hers whom Lorne must have contacted somehow. There was also quite a few SGC staff whom Lorne had worked with previous to Atlantis.

Emerson was there with his fiancée Cara, and he smiled at her as they passed him.

As they stepped onto the church steps, Lorne turned to Ellie and said to her tenderly,

"You look beautiful…….Mrs Lorne".

"You don't look so bad yourself……Mr Lorne", she replied her arms going about his neck as his mouth caught hers once more.

As people began to pile out of the church around them they pulled apart but suddenly a hush came over the crowd as Heather pushed though to stand in front of the happy couple. She was covered in leaves and dirt and her jaw looked at little worse for wear.

"What the hell are you doing here Heather?", Lorne asked angrily and his mother stepped forward so that she was between him and Heather.

"Evan it's my fault, I told her where the wedding was but it was before I found out what she'd done…..I'm so sorry".

Lorne nodded and put an arm around Ellie's waist as Heather said,

"I can't believe you've actually married that……that tramp".

Suddenly Lyssa pressed her flowers into Mitchell's hands and stepped forward,

"I thought I'd sorted you out earlier but I obviously didn't hit you hard enough the last time, let me try again", she said thumping Heather on the other side of her jaw and everyone gasped as Heather crumpled to the floor again.

As Ellie and Lorne began to walk by, Lyssa dusting her hands off in a satisfied fashion, Lorne's mom said,

"Charming choice of Maid of Honour……but I like her", and Ellie grinned as she pressed herself closer to Lorne.

After some photographs were taken they all made their way back to Mitchell's house for the party.

After everyone had eaten, Ellie and Lorne had their first dance in Mitchell's back yard and everyone watched as they smooched happily to the music.

"They are so cute together", Sam said and Daniel and Teal'c exchanged a glance.

"Cute?", Daniel asked and Sam nodded.

"Major Lorne is more than cute", Vala who had just arrived said then added, "In fact he's downright gorgeous…..do you think Ellie will mind if I cut in?" and she went to move forward but Daniel and Sam grabbed her arms and prevented her from going anywhere.

"Spoilsports", she muttered.

As the afternoon turned into the evening and they had all but caught up with all their guests, Lorne pulled Ellie close and whispered,

"We have to leave soon".

"Leave? Why?", she asked, twisting to look at him and he cupped her face in his hands.

"It's a surprise", he told her and she smiled.

"Do I need to change?", she asked but he shook his head.

"No, you're perfect as you are".

Eventually they said goodbye to everyone, thanking Mitchell for the use of his home and making him promise to take care of Lyssa until the morning and then they climbed into Lorne's car and headed off, Ellie throwing her bouquet out of the window and into the crowd that had gathered in the street to wave them off.

Vala caught the flowers and she grinned at Daniel who quickly darted away much the amusement of the rest of SG-1.

End of Chapter 12


	13. Chapter 13

Date : 01.09.2007

Title : Loves' Past and Present

Author : ElaineDex

Chapter : 13 of ?

Rating : M

Pairings : Lt. Col. John Sheppard/Lyssa Hunter

Major Evan Lorne/Dr Ellie Harrison

Warnings : Angst/hurt.

Spoilers : This story is part of a series and follows on from Love's Dance With A Stranger.

Feedback : Yes

Disclaimer : Dr Ellie Harrison, Major James Reece, Lt Franks & Heather Russell are mine. Lyssa Hunter belongs to Kazavid. Stargate & Stargate Atlantis, unfortunately, have nothing to do with me.

**Summary : Find out how Sheppard and Lyssa's wedding plans cause chaos on Atlantis and what happens when tragedy strikes for Ellie and Lorne?**

Eventually the party goers began to leave and when finally it was just Mitchell and Lyssa left, they sat on his back porch and looked at the mess that needed to be cleared away.

"We'll do it in the morning", Lyssa told Mitchell who nodded.

He got up and changed the CD that had been playing and a soft love song came on.

"Would you like to dance?", he asked Lyssa, holding his hand out to her and Lyssa smiled and despite her resolve to stay away from Mitchell after the hose pipe incident, she found herself standing and slipping her hand into his.

She was missing Sheppard like crazy and after watching Lorne and Ellie in loved-up mode all day she needed someone to just hold her.

Mitchell wrapped his arms loosely around her waist and she leaned her head against his shoulder as they swayed to the music.

She tried to imagine that it was Sheppard who had her in his arms but she couldn't. Mitchell just didn't hold her like Sheppard could.

Mitchell, on the other hand, was busy concentrating on trying to keep his body under control. The feel of Lyssa in his arms was driving him insane and he felt her head lift slightly from his shoulder as he inched his hands down a fraction, toward her bottom.

She made a small noise in the back of her throat and Mitchell thought that it meant she liked what he's just done and he cupped her bottom fully in his hands.

Lyssa's head shot up and he took the opportunity to cover her mouth with his.

Lyssa froze as Mitchell's mouth moved over hers in a sensuous onslaught and whilst she knew she should push him away, she discovered that his kiss wasn't totally unpleasant.

She came to her senses though when he pulled her in tighter against his body and she realised just how much Mitchell actually liked her and she pushed against his shoulders, wrenching her mouth from his.

Mitchell immediately let her go and they stepped apart.

"I'm sorry", they said simultaneously and then stared at one another.

"I can't……..I'm sorry….", Lyssa said and Mitchell raked a hand through his hair and took a deep breath.

"No, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that…..I know you're with Sheppard, I should never…..", he trailed off feeling bad.

"It's alright….no harm done", Lyssa said and he tried to smile as he joked,

"Don't tell Sheppard……if I ever see him again he'll shoot me".

Lyssa smiled as she nodded, "Yeah, you're probably right".

"Great….you're not supposed to say that", Mitchell said as they moved back inside the house.

Lyssa laughed as they closed the door behind them.

**OoOoO**

As they drove into Washington, Ellie got an inkling of an idea as to where Lorne was headed and she reached across and placed her hand on his leg.

Lorne turned and grinned at her. He could tell by her face that she'd guessed their destination and he said,

"I couldn't resist".

As they pulled up outside The Shoreham Regency Luxury Hotel, a porter emerged to take their overnight bag.

Ellie wrapped her arms around Lorne's waist as they both looked up at the front of the spectacular hotel that had been the location of the beginning of their relationship.

"The night we made love here was the best night of my life", Lorne whispered in her ear and tears pricked at Ellie's eyes as her heart constricted with love for this man.

"Mine too", she murmured as they headed inside.

As they walked through the lobby they drew some looks from other guests, Ellie still in her wedding dress and Lorne in his uniform and Ellie giggled as they checked in.

They entered the elevator and Lorne immediately cornered Ellie, his hands finding her hips amongst the layers of her skirt and she gasped as he pulled her against him, his mouth trailing kisses down along her neck and he bent to nip at the soft skin of her shoulder and she smiled as she gripped his upper arms.

"I want you so badly Ellie", Lorne said and she laughed.

"We've made love so many times since I got back home, are you not tired of me yet?", she teased and Lorne shook his head and cupped her face in his hands.

"I could never get tired of you", he told her and Ellie smiled up at him.

The elevator stopped on their floor and Ellie laughed again as she realised that it was the same floor that they'd stayed on the last time they'd been here.

"Did you plan this too?", she asked, her arms going around Lorne's neck as he scooped her up into his arms.

"You liked that four-poster bed didn't you?", Lorne asked coyly and Ellie pressed her lips to his neck.

"Very much", she replied, her voice husky with desire and Lorne's pace quickened as he moved down the hallway toward their room.

Once inside he set her down in front of the bed and her hands immediately went to his tie and she began to loosen the knot as his hands went around her to work on the ribbon that laced up the back of her dress.

Ellie smiled as Lorne got frustrated when the ribbon wouldn't co-operate and he spun her so that he could see what he was doing.

"How do I get you out of this?", he asked moving her hair to one side so that he could kiss the nape of her neck and Ellie arched her spine as she replied,

"Just loosen the ribbon".

Lorne did so and Ellie turned back to face him. She pressed against him and put her arms around his neck, then she kissed him.

He met the kiss with hungry eagerness, moaning as he wrapped his arms around her waist tightly.

Ellie pressed her breasts against him, moving her stomach against his groin and she opened her mouth so that his tongue could stroke hers, yielding to him, letting him know he could do whatever he wanted to her and she wouldn't object.

Lorne moved his hands down to cup her buttocks through the layers of organza. He pressed her tighter against him and she felt his erection, hard and demanding, straining against his trousers.

Ellie squirmed, partly because she was on fire from his kisses and partly because she was trying to arouse him further.

Lorne moaned again against her mouth and dragging up the layers of her dress, his hands finally found her bare skin. He found the apex of her thighs and Ellie's legs trembled as he slipped a finger inside her silken panties and stroked her. She clutched him tightly, her lips moving to his throat.

"Evan..", she said his name almost pleadingly and suddenly he released her, her skirt falling back to her feet as he stepped away from her and Ellie thought she would go mad with impatience as she watched him begin to remove his clothes.

She watched as his perfect body was revealed to her and she sighed dreamily.

He owned her heart, her soul and her body and she loved him as she had never loved anyone before.

He smiled as though he had read her mind and she blushed as he came back to her and helped her out of her dress.

He groaned loudly as he saw she wore ivory coloured hold-up stockings.

Stockings were a favourite of his and Ellie had been wearing a pair the first time they had made love properly.

"You wore these especially for me?", he asked, his hands stroking down her thighs as he knelt in front of her and Ellie could only nod as he removed her panties leaving her stood in nothing except the stockings.

Ellie gasped as Lorne grasped her buttocks and buried his face in her feminine mound. He lifted one of her thighs and hooked it over his shoulder, his tongue sliding across her moist folds and Ellie's head dropped back as she cried out in pleasure.

Her hands delved into his hair to anchor herself upright as an orgasm gripped her, surprising them both by its swift arrival.

"Oh….God…..Evan…..", she managed as he stood and lifted her against him as he walked toward the bed and then pressed her down into the huge king-sized mattress.

Suddenly she couldn't wait, "Please….", she whispered, knowing he would understand.

Lorne guided the tip of himself to her entrance and thrust in deeply, more deeply than she had expected and she gasped and fought for control, trying to catch her breath. Lorne shifted position, stroking slowly and her body relaxed and she arched her hips, spreading her legs wider, offering him everything.

"I never thought I'd ever feel this happy", Ellie said.

"Well get used to it because I intend to make you the happiest woman on Earth." Lorne told her.

"You mean Atlantis?", she said, her voice sounding breathless as he pushed his hard body into her again and again.

"Wherever we are…..", he said.

"Promise me we'll never be apart again", Ellie said, her hands reaching up to touch his face and Lorne slowed his movements as he looked down into her eyes.

He rested his weight on his elbows and stroked a stray curl away from her forehead. He adored her mouth, her nose, the curve of her cheek……

"I promise. I love you Ellie Lorne", he said and she smiled at him lovingly.

"I love you too".

Lorne lowered his head and kissed her. He lunged at the same time, stroking his body deeply into hers, feeling her womb, feeling her body convulse around him, tight and demanding as she came again.

She forced him over the edge and after one more deep thrust Lorne lost control and he moaned loudly as his body spilled into hers.

As they both floated back to reality Ellie murmured,

"I'm so glad you gave me a second chance……I made such a mess of everything".

Lorne shook his head and stoked her face tenderly,

"We lost our baby, no-one can predict how they'll react or cope with something like that. You did what you thought you needed to".

"But you were the one person I needed the most and I pushed you away when you were hurting too", Ellie said, her eyes filling with tears and Lorne kissed her and wiped her tears away with his thumb.

"Don't cry, we're together now and nothing will separate us ever again….I won't let anything or anyone come between us", he said, his mouth teasing hers tentatively, then his tongue delved into her mouth when she succumbed to his kiss.

They made love and whispered words of love to one another well into the night, finally falling to sleep wrapped around one another.

The next morning they quickly stopped off at Lorne's mom's to say goodbye to her and received yet another heartfelt apology and Ellie even got a hug which she returned happily.

Once they left his mom with a promise to get in touch as soon as they could, Ellie made Lorne stop off at a convenience store on their way back to Mitchell's so that she could pick up the stuff Rodney had asked for and Lorne laughed when she told him what Mckay had planned.

"I think it's sweet of him", Ellie said and Lorne just laughed even harder.

"I just can't see how he's going to manage it on Atlantis", he said and Ellie shrugged as she placed the bag of supplies onto the back seat.

"That's down to Rodney", she said.

End of Chapter 13


	14. Chapter 14

Date : 03.09.2007

Title : Loves' Past and Present

Author : ElaineDex

Chapter : 14 of 15

Rating : M

Pairings : Lt. Col. John Sheppard/Lyssa Hunter

Major Evan Lorne/Dr Ellie Harrison

Warnings : Angst/hurt.

Spoilers : This story is part of a series and follows on from Love's Dance With A Stranger.

Feedback : Yes

Disclaimer : Dr Ellie Harrison, Major James Reece, Lt Franks & Heather Russell are mine. Lyssa Hunter belongs to Kazavid. Stargate & Stargate Atlantis, unfortunately, have nothing to do with me.

**Summary : Find out how Sheppard and Lyssa's wedding plans cause chaos on Atlantis and what happens when tragedy strikes for Ellie and Lorne?**

Where the journey to Earth had lasted an eternity for Ellie, the one back to Atlantis seemed never ending to Lyssa and she was all but ready to string Colonel Caldwell up by his ears as they waited to be beamed down into Atlantis' gate room.

Finally he gave the signal and everyone who was beaming down did so.

The second Sheppard and Lyssa clapped eyes upon one another they raced toward each other, their arms going about one another, their mouths meeting in a passionate kiss that had Ellie and Lorne laughing as they watched on.

Dr Weir, who was holding onto Sheppard and Lyssa's son turned to Lorne.

"Good to have you back Major and you Dr Harrison", she said and Lorne nodded.

"It's good to be back Ma'am, thanks".

"Actually….it's Dr Lorne now", Ellie said grinning from ear to ear as she showed Weir her wedding and engagement rings.

"Congratulations!", Weir said as Sheppard's ears pricked up.

He and Lyssa broke apart and Lyssa took Conner from Weir and hugged her son tightly as Sheppard said to Lorne,

"You got married before me?!"

"Sorry Sir", Lorne replied as Sheppard looked distressed by this new information.

"Where's Ronon?", Ellie asked. She had wanted to see Hope and had thought Ronon might have brought their daughter to the gate room to greet them.

"Oh, he took Hope to the mainland. The Daedalus wasn't due until tomorrow but you made good time", Weir replied and Ellie nodded as Sheppard suddenly took Conner from Lyssa and thrust him gently into Lorne's arms.

"Well you and Ellie have had enough of a honeymoon….you're on babysitting duties for a while whilst I get reacquainted with my 'fiancée'", he said the word sarcastically to emphasize their unmarried status and slipped an arm around Lyssa's waist as he moved her away and up the steps.

As they got to the top he threw over his shoulder,

"Oh and by the way…it's good to see you Major".

"Thanks……you too…", Lorne muttered as he eyed the gurgling baby warily and Ellie laughed as Rodney and Lt. Franks approached them.

"Did you get the things I asked for?", Rodney asked and Ellie nodded.

"Yeah and it's nice to see you too Rodney", she said sarcastically and Rodney nodded distractedly.

"Hmm? Oh, yes…you too", he said as she dug out the bag which contained his things.

"Thank God you've come back Major", Franks said, "If you hadn't there is no way I could go through another drinking session with this woman".

Lorne regarded Franks with one eyebrow raised as Ellie coloured up and Rodney nodded.

"I agree. There is no way you should ever go to the bar in the middle of the afternoon with her", he advised Lorne who looked to Ellie for an explanation.

"You left", she stated as though that should tell him everything.

"Yeah and we bore the brunt of it…….don't ever leave again", Franks said and Lorne smiled.

"I don't intend to".

"Good….well, now we've got that clear I need to go and get started with this", Rodney said holding the bag of supplies aloft before moving away from them.

**OoOoO**

Lyssa and Sheppard tore at one another's clothes with feverish abandon the second they got into their room.

Sheppard had originally planned to make love to Lyssa slowly and romantically but as soon as he'd laid eyes on her that idea had gone out of the window and he couldn't wait to bury himself deep within her receptive body.

They tumbled onto the bed, Sheppard pinning Lyssa's arms to the mattress with his hands as he thrust into her in one easy movement and she cried out with pleasure at the joy of being reunited with him in every sense of the word.

She wrapped her legs around him and arched up to meet his every thrust and Sheppard buried his face in the crook of her neck and he groaned loudly as he inner muscles gripped him tightly.

"God…Lyss……you feel amazing", he told her and Lyssa could only gasp in response as she felt the longed for spiralling sensation begin deep in the pit of her stomach.

As she climaxed, Sheppard couldn't stop his own orgasm and he moved his hands underneath her and lifted her hips against him so that he could get as deeply inside of her as was humanly possible as they moaned together loudly.

Afterwards they lay together, breathing deeply and Lyssa laughed as Sheppard said,

"Welcome back".

"Thanks", she replied, her fingers tracing his lips and she smiled as he sucked a finger into his mouth.

"I had planned something a little more romantic but my body kinda had other ideas. It missed you baldly", he informed her and Lyssa sighed contentedly.

"My body missed you too", she said, her mouth forming an O shape as he moved down her body and sucked on a rosy nipple.

The afternoon stretched before them as Lyssa pushed Sheppard onto his back and she straddled his hips…..

**OOoOO**

Ellie waited in Jumper Bay 2 as people began to pile off the jumper and she craned her neck so that she could spot Ronon and Hope.

She did so and waved so that Ronon could see her.

He smiled as he handed her their daughter who seemed to have grown so much in seven weeks and Ellie hugged her tightly.

"Mommy's missed you so much", Ellie crooned as Hope wrapped her little arms around her neck.

"It's good to see you Ellie…..you look great", Ronon said and Ellie looked at him over her daughters' mop of unruly dark curls.

"You too…..", Ellie replied.

"Um….Ronon…..there's something I need to tell you", she said as they began to leave the bay.

"You brought Lorne back", Ronon surmised, looking at her and she nodded but added,

"We got married whilst we were on Earth".

She watched as Ronon's jaw stiffened and he seemed to grow distant as he said,

"Congratulations".

"Thanks…….I wanted to tell you myself, before you heard it second hand. You know what it's like around here", Ellie said and Ronon nodded.

"I hope you'll be very happy together", he told her and Ellie smiled and he could see that she already was extremely happy.

They got to the jumper bay doors to find Lorne waiting for them and he nodded to Ronon in greeting.

Ronon watched as Ellie handed Hope to Lorne and he realised with a jolt that she had never looked at him the way she was looking at Lorne and he felt his gut twist with a jealous pang.

He'd thought he was over Ellie but the news that she had married Lorne had clarified for him that he was obviously not.

Marriage seemed so final, especially one of their official earth marriages.

So that was it…..it was one hundred percent over between them…….no going back now……..she'd never be his again………

**OOoOO**

"I can't believe you're actually attempting this Rodney", Ellie said as she kept watch at the lab door for about the hundredth time in the last two weeks and Rodney sighed and said,

"Just make sure no-one gets in here…..this is the last crucial stage and then I'm home free".

"I just hope Lyssa and John appreciate all your hard work", Ellie said, smiling as Lorne began to head up the corridor toward the lab.

She raised her hands on the door frame and blocked the way in.

"I'm sorry Major but I'm afraid I can't let you in…..Top Secret work is being conducted inside this lab", she said as Lorne drew level with her.

His lips twitched in a smile as he regarded her.

"I have the highest security clearance", he said and Ellie folded her arms.

"I don't care…..you're still not getting in here", she said, trying not to smile as Lorne bent forward and brushed his lips over hers.

"Oh…please….would you two knock it off. I asked the Major here because I need both of your help to carry this thing to it's hiding place", Rodney said and Ellie and Lorne looked at him.

"You have a hiding place for it?", Ellie asked and Rodney nodded.

"Of course….I can't just leave it lying around here can I".

Lorne shrugged at Ellie as they began to help.

**OOoOO**

"I can't believe she married him", Ronon said as he and Lyssa walked around the outer walk-ways of Atlantis, Lyssa carrying Conner so that her son could get some fresh air.

"I thought you were okay about Ellie being with Lorne", she said. After all, they'd all been back on Atlantis for a couple of weeks now and Ronon hadn't said anything, until now.

He sighed deeply.

"So did I", he muttered and Lyssa regarded him.

"He loves her very much, that much is obvious……I'm sure he'll look after her, if that's any consolation?", she said and Ronon smiled but Lyssa could tell it wasn't genuine.

"Look….Ronon….at one time I would have said that if you still wanted Ellie then fight for her but I saw how she was on the journey to earth and I was there with her and Lorne in the lead up to their wedding and they're just, well, they're just so well suited that I think you should just let her go and move on…..maybe find someone new…", she said and Ronon sighed deeply.

"Yeah….maybe you're right", he said looking at her and Lyssa smiled wishing she could believe that he was telling her the truth but somehow something just wasn't quite right.

**OOoOO**

Lorne and Sheppard's teams were having lunch together in the mess hall when Lyssa turned to Sheppard, an evil glint in her eye as she responded to his last comment.

"So let me just get this straight……you want to have drinks in the bar on the night before our wedding?", her voice was calm but everyone, apart from a seemingly oblivious Sheppard, could tell that she was being sarcastic.

"Well sure…..it'll be fine so long as Ellie doesn't show up and get everyone roaring drunk again", and he looked at Ellie pointedly who froze, her sandwich halfway to her mouth as Lorne turned to her.

"What the hell did you do to everyone that afternoon?", he asked and Ellie shrugged and cleared her throat.

"It's not my fault if people can't take their alcohol", she replied, "I was simply enjoying a drink with Rodney, we didn't ask everyone to join in".

"Ah….I think you'll find you did….actually….", Ronon said and Ellie sent him a glaring look over her sandwich and his lips twitched as she shot back,

"No….actually….you and Teyla tried to get us to leave and when we wouldn't, you got the drinks in and joined us".

"That is 'actually' correct", Teyla said, backing Ellie up and Ronon rolled his eyes as Sheppard said,

"What about me and Franks…..you called us over".

"So…..? You didn't have to stay. I didn't force that scotch down your necks", Ellie said, getting cross and Lorne smirked as Franks said,

"It's all the Major's fault. He drove us all to drink….we were all so depressed on Ellie's behalf after he left that we needed to do something".

"Oh would you lot pack it in", Lyssa cried and everyone looked at her as she continued,

"No drinking the night before my wedding……if you have to do it at least let it be a few nights before….to give everyone chance to recover. I do not need hung over people at my wedding".

"So that's settled then…..", Sheppard said and they all nodded despite Lyssa glaring at each and every one of them in turn.

"Just so long as you can all do your assigned tasks okay on the day", she instructed and everyone nodded obediently apart from Rodney who stuck his hand into the air.

"About that……", he began, smiling inwardly as Sheppard and Lyssa fought to get their chairs out from under the table, Lyssa winning after kicking Sheppard's shin, leaving him to look at Rodney.

"I still don't have anything to do", he said and Sheppard groaned quietly.

"Ah well….."

The others smiled as they watched on with interest………

End of Chapter 14


	15. Chapter 15

Date : 04.09.2007

Title : Loves' Past and Present

Author : ElaineDex

Chapter : 15 of 15

Rating : M

Pairings : Lt. Col. John Sheppard/Lyssa Hunter

Major Evan Lorne/Dr Ellie Harrison

Warnings : Angst/hurt.

Spoilers : This story is part of a series and follows on from Love's Dance With A Stranger.

Feedback : Yes

Disclaimer : Dr Ellie Harrison, Major James Reece, Lt Franks & Heather Russell are mine. Lyssa Hunter belongs to Kazavid. Stargate & Stargate Atlantis, unfortunately, have nothing to do with me.

**Summary : Find out how Sheppard and Lyssa's wedding plans cause chaos on Atlantis and what happens when tragedy strikes for Ellie and Lorne?**

The morning of Lyssa and Sheppard's wedding was not going to plan.

Firstly there had been an un-scheduled gate activity which Rodney and Ellie immediately had to look into so Ellie was behind in her task of hooking up the MP3 players to the lap tops so that they had music for the wedding.

Because of the same problem, Franks had had to keep the gate area clear and had not been able to set out the chairs as he was supposed to.

The Athosians had managed to set out some bunting but not in the gate room as of yet.

Teyla had discovered that she had a sore throat and was fearing she might not be able to sing at the ceremony.

Lorne was having difficulty tracking down the Athosian priest on the mainland who was supposed to be marrying Sheppard and Lyssa. There was no sign of him and everyone was saying they hadn't seen him for days.

Beckett, who had gone with Lorne to the mainland to gather the flowers he needed for the wedding had ended up performing a burst appendics operation and then couldn't find the flowers he needed for Lyssa and Ellie's bouquets.

Ronon had lost his well prepared speech and was quite disgruntled about the fact as he had gathered all sorts of information about Sheppard's past which he had intended to use as blackmail……in a friendly sort of way of course.

Sean, Lyssa's friend, who was giving Lyssa away had still not arrived and there had been no word from him either.

As everyone ran around in a state of panic, Rodney smirked from his position at one of the gate room consoles, knowing he had absolutely nothing to worry about.

"This is a living nightmare", Sheppard commented as he stood in the gate room looking around and Rodney looked over at him.

"Isn't it", he agreed and Sheppard threw him a look that said 'I hate you' to which Rodney merely shrugged and bent to check his diagnostic results.

**OOoOO**

"I can't believe everything is going so wrong", Lyssa said as she watched Ellie stressing over the fact that the MP3's weren't co-operating with the lap tops.

"It'll all come right….you'll see", Ellie said trying to be comforting but then promptly having a hissy fit as the lap top began to shut itself down and basically told her that it wasn't playing.

"Oh you piece of crap", she cursed reaching for a different lap top and Lyssa sighed.

"We need to start getting ready soon. Do you know if Lorne has tracked down the priest yet?", she asked and Ellie's head jerked up.

"He can't find the priest?", she said in surprise and upon seeing the look Lyssa sent her that resembled 'would I joke about that', she tapped her ear-piece.

"Evan? Did you find the priest yet?", she asked as she hooked up a lap top to an MP3 and promptly deafened them all as music blared out.

"No! And now I'm deaf too!", Lorne replied and Ellie frowned as Lyssa covered her face with her hands.

"Sorry about that, just keep looking", she told Lorne before turning to Lyssa.

"Why don't you head to your room and I'll follow you shortly".

"Okay….but don't be long", Lyssa said and Ellie nodded.

**OOoOO**

A while later and Ellie still hadn't shown up and Lyssa was getting tetchy.

She tapped her ear-piece.

"Ellie where are you?", she asked impatiently and Ellie quickened her pace as she headed for her and Lorne's room.

"I'm just going to collect my dress then I'll be right with you", she replied and Lyssa tried to take deep, calming breaths as she sat down on the bed next to her wedding dress.

When Lorne entered his and Ellie's room a few minutes later he was greeted by the sight of Ellie half in and half out of her pale pink bridesmaids dress and he grinned as he approached her.

Ellie caught the gleam in his eyes but shook her head.

"Oh no, no way…..I don't have time. Lyssa is already on the war path because I'm running so late……".

"Shame", Lorne said, slipping his hand inside the back of the dress and Ellie giggled but stepped away.

"Seriously Evan, I have to get going…..zip me up will you?", she said and Lorne sighed and went to pull the zip up but it would only go up so far and he frowned as he realised the dress was too small.

"Um….Elle……", he trailed off as Ellie twisted to look at him.

"What?", she asked and Lorne didn't reply, merely tugged on the zip and Ellie realised the problem immediately and grabbed at her own breasts.

"Oh my god! Have my boobs gone bigger?", she said in shock, turning to face him and Lorne tried to look serious as his eyes roamed over her ample bosom and she groaned as he licked his lips.

"I'm not joking! Have I put weight on since we got back?", she cried and Lorne folded his arms as he looked her up and down.

"No, I wouldn't say so. Are you sure you got the right size?", he said eventually and Ellie frowned and pulled up the hem of the gown so that she could read the label that was sewn into the lining of the skirt.

"I don't believe it", she said. "They gave me a size too small……what am I going to do?"

"Don't look at me….I have to get changed", Lorne said backing away as Ellie threw him a panicked look.

"Did you find the priest?", she asked as she grabbed her lab coat and pulled it on over the dress.

"Yeah….eventually…..", he replied, trailing off as Ellie headed for the door.

"Great, look, I need to sort this dress out….if you see Lyssa tell her I'm on my way".

As she opened their door Ellie gasped as Lyssa stood before her, her wedding dress hanging on her and was obviously a couple of sizes too big.

Lorne watched as the two women stared at one another and he dove for the bathroom as he heard Lyssa begin to sob.

Ellie threw her arms around Lyssa and shushed her, stroking her friends back as she cried.

"This is fixable…..trust me", she said and Lyssa sniffed loudly.

"Everything is going so wrong", she said and Ellie shook her head as she grasped Lyssa's hand.

"Come with me. We've got plenty of time…..we'll sort this out okay?", she said and Lyssa nodded.

Ellie took Lyssa to the Athosian part of the city where one of Teyla's friend's room was.

"Tara is a seamstress….she'll have us fixed up in no time", she told a still sniffling Lyssa who looked at her sharply.

"You said 'us'", she accused and Ellie gulped.

"Ah….well…..", she trailed off and removed her lab coat, revealing the fact that her dress was too small.

Ellie thought Lyssa may explode but in fact she did quite the opposite and burst out laughing.

Ellie smiled, glad that some of the tension seemed to be leaving Lyssa and as Tara ushered them into the sewing room she began to actually believe her own story that everything would be okay after all.

**OOoOO**

An hour or so later and everything began to fall into place as it should.

Beckett had the flowers sorted, the chairs with their guests on them were all waiting in the gate room, the bunting was up, the MP3's were playing soft music, the priest was in position, Teyla's voice was fine and Ronon had found his speech.

Lyssa's dress had been taken in and now fitted her like a glove and Tara had used the spare material to put two small panels in the back of Ellie's dress, either side of the zip so that hers now fitted and looked like it was meant to match Lyssa's gown into the bargain.

Sean arrived with a little time to spare and he took Lyssa to one side as Ellie went to check that everything was ready for the ceremony to begin.

"You're sure about Sheppard?", he asked her and Lyssa smiled and pulled him close for a hug.

"Oh Sean….I've never been happier. I wish you would consider coming to live on Atlantis", she said as he hugged her back tightly.

"This place isn't for me, you know that Lyssa", he said and she nodded.

Just then Ellie returned and handed Lyssa her bouquet.

"They're ready for you", she said and Lyssa squared her shoulders as she linked her arm through Sean's.

"Oh well….here goes nothing", she said as Ellie began to lead the way down the gate room steps and down the aisle between the chairs to where Sheppard and Ronon stood in front of the Stargate.

Sheppard's breath caught as Lyssa appeared at the top of the steps.

He had never seen her looking more beautiful or feminine than she did right now and he made a mental note that once he was her husband he would have to insist that she wore more dresses.

He thought that maybe he should have a had a pre-nup drawn up to that effect……he grinned broadly as he thought about how Lyssa would respond to that demand.

Lyssa glided toward him gracefully, her happiness on show for all to see as Sean handed her over into Sheppard's care.

The priest began the service and it was as though something magical took over the city and the lights dimmed romantically as Sheppard and Lyssa exchanged their vows.

As they slid their wedding bands onto each others fingers, Teyla began to sing softly and Ellie glanced at Lorne as she recalled their wedding day.

As the priest pronounced them husband and wife, tears of happiness began to escape from Lyssa's eyes and Sheppard took her face in his hands and wiped them away with his thumbs.

"Hey, you're not going soft on me yet again are you Hunter?", he asked her, reminding her of when he'd asked her that same question early on in their relationship when they'd made love in the meadow on the mainland and she laughed as she raised her hands to his chest.

"No…..and it's Sheppard now….if you don't mind", she chided him softly and Sheppard shook his head as he bent to kiss her.

"I don't mind at all", he told her as he sealed their union.

**OoOoO**

The mess hall was the location of the wedding reception and Ronon was just finishing off his speech by commenting that Sheppard had had some real dodgy girlfriends in the past and that Earth Girls Are 'apparently' Easy, the reference to the old eighties movie landing him in a great deal of trouble and Laura Cadman and some of the other female marines attacked him as he tried to point out that he was only trying to say that Sheppard was better off with Lyssa….who was obviously not an earth girl…….

"Quit whilst your ahead buddy", Sheppard called out as Ronon was surrounded by disgruntled women and he glared at Major Reece who had advised him to put the little comment into the speech in the first place.

Sheppard was just about to stand and make a speech himself when Rodney beat him to it and he stood and clinked his knife loudly on his glass to call for everyone's attention.

"Could I have some quiet please?", he asked haughtily as he clicked his fingers at Ellie and Lorne and they disappeared momentarily, causing Sheppard and Lyssa to glance at one another warily as Rodney continued,

"Since I was not given a task for this wedding by the Bride and Groom" and he looked at them pointedly before continuing, "I decided to take it upon myself to make them a little something which I'm sure you will all agree is truly a masterpiece".

Everyone watched as Lorne pushed a trolley from the lab into the mess hall and Ellie pulled away it's cover to reveal a three tiered wedding cake, fully iced and decorated with tiny edible flowers and bows.

A gasp went around the room and Lyssa and Sheppard could only gawp at Rodney's work of art.

"Rodney…..its…….it's wonderful", Lyssa said, standing and throwing her arms around the Doctor who had the good grace to actually look touched.

Sheppard stood and shook McKay's hand.

"Thanks Rodney…..I mean it….it's fantastic. I didn't even give a wedding cake a second thought".

"I know you didn't. This is why I am the brains of the team and…….", Rodney trailed off as Sheppard passed him to go examine the cake with Lyssa.

"You actually made that?", Ronon asked as he managed to escape from the unhappy women that had surrounded him as they went to admire the cake.

"Yes……..my mother ran the school baking club and every Saturday morning I would take notes and………", he was forced to trail off as Ronon patted his shoulder.

"Nice gesture…..", Ronon said as he too headed off and Rodney smiled to himself and sighed deeply.

**OOoOO**

Mid-way through the party Sheppard came to stand behind Lyssa and slipped his arms around her waist, pulling her back against his body and she sighed contentedly as he said matter-of-factly,

"You know, you won't truly be Mrs Sheppard until we consummate our marriage".

"Is that right?", Lyssa asked coyly and Sheppard nuzzled her ear as he replied,

"Uh-huh".

"We'd better go do something about that right now then", Lyssa said and Sheppard moved and took her hand in his.

"My thoughts exactly", he said, pausing as he saw her eyes trying to seek out which of their guests was holding their son.

"It's okay, Ellie said she would take Conner for the night", he told her and Lyssa nodded, happy now she knew her baby was being taken care of.

They slipped from the mess hall as inconspicuously as possible and headed for their room.

Once inside they found someone had been in and lit candles and put flowers in the room and all kinds of parcels were piled up in one corner, wrapped in the crude brown paper that was all that was available to the people of Atlantis.

"Wow. I should get married more often", Sheppard said and flinched as Lyssa smacked his arm.

"Hey", he said pulling her into his arms.

"You look so beautiful that I can't believe you're actually mine", he told her and Lyssa blushed as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"And I can't believe that I actually managed to bag the famous play boy John Sheppard", she replied and it was Sheppard's turn to colour up.

"Those things Ronon said…in the speech….they're not all true…..", he began but Lyssa closed her mouth over his to stop any more talk which suited Sheppard just fine.

He began to undo the lace covered buttons at the back of her dress as he murmured in her ear.

"Did Ellie take you to that nice lingerie store?"

"See for yourself", Lyssa teased and Sheppard worked the buttons a little quicker, sliding the delicate dress down over her body and he groaned as her gorgeous ivory coloured underwear was revealed to him.

"You like it I take it?", she asked as he scooped her up into his arms and placed her gently onto their bed.

Sheppard could only nod in response as his throat was so constricted by passion and he all but tore his Air Force uniform from his body so that he could join her.

He nipped at the tips of her breasts through the lace of her bra and Lyssa gasped and arched toward him, her arms going around his back to pull him closer to her but Sheppard had other ideas.

He moved down her body, kissing every inch of skin that he passed and finally he ran a finger along the edge of her panties, breathing in the scent of her deeply as he closed his eyes.

The smell of her made him rock hard and he clenched his jaw as he fought the urge to just move up over her and bury himself deeply inside of her.

Instead he moved her panties to one side, loath to remove the exquisite garments, and slid his tongue over her silken lips causing Lyssa to buck her hips at the sensation.

He teased her until she couldn't take it any more and when he moved back up her body she surprised him by pushing him onto his back.

He didn't object though as she kissed her way down his chest, her mouth not hesitating to cover his erection the moment she came into contact with it and Sheppard could not help the loud groan he emitted as the feel of her hot tongue dancing with his hard flesh threatened to overwhelm him.

Finally, when enough was enough, Sheppard gently pulled Lyssa up toward him and guided her hips into the right position and then with one hard thrust, joined his body with hers.

Lyssa set the pace, her body moving up and down on him rapidly as she strove for release and Sheppard gripped her hips as he helped her to grind against him for a deeper contact.

Suddenly Lyssa all but screamed as she came and Sheppard threw his head back against the pillows as he let his own body release it's built up pressure in hot jets that shot deeply up into Lyssa's body.

Lyssa collapsed on top of Sheppard and he wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head lovingly.

"Now you're Mrs Sheppard", he said and Lyssa giggled,

"No…..you're Mr Hunter", she said, not having to look at Sheppard's face to know he would not go with that idea in a million years.

But, even though she knew they could never have a million years, they did have the rest of their lives to be Mr and Mrs Sheppard and she couldn't wait to spend her life getting to know the man she lay with now better and better as time went by.

The End

The series will continue with my next story……Loves Price of Freedom


End file.
